Black Ice
by L1701E
Summary: Chapter 50 up! Complete! A side fic to TF's To Err is Human. What happened to Bobby Drake after the events of To Err is Human? Find out in this story! Next: Sapphire Epilogue! We check in with our hero, and a shocking surprise... RR Please! Suggestions ne
1. Cold Hearted

**Black Ice**

**Hello folks! L1701E here! Besides being a big fan of Red Witch's Misfit-verse, I am also a big fan of Todd Fan's "Sidney-verse", which I call the universe her Sidney Chronicle series occurs. This fic is a side fic to her Chronicle "To Err is Human", centering on Robert "Iceman" Drake. In case you need catching up, read "To Err is Human" to see what happened to Bobby. I hope you enjoy this story!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to me, Todd Fan, and Marvel Comics. And here's your quote: "Toga! Toga!" - John Belushi as John "Bluto" Blutarsky, Animal House**

Chapter 1: Cold-Hearted

**Somewhere in the middle of Canada**

Four months. For four months he had been here in another country. Away from them. Away from those who had turned their backs on him and betrayed him. He stood in the middle of the snow-covered field. The blizzard winds whipped across his body, blowing his now semi-long brown hair over his face. His ratty brown trenchcoat blew in the wind, revealing his blue jeans and blue shirt. He also had a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Any other man would've hated being out here in the middle of this snowstorm. For Robert Drake, he felt like he was home. His mutant powers over ice made him immune to sub-zero temperatures. He felt good in this cold. He would feel happy here in this blizzard…if he could be happy.

It all started with a girl named Elizabeth Guthrie, the younger sister of his former friend Sam Guthrie. She looked like a biker chick who was in desperate need for an attitude adjustment. She was a mutant with the power to increase her size. Drake felt smitten with her. That all changed when Elizabeth left the X-Men to join a team of mutants organized by Lucas Xavier, Professor Charles Xavier's son, a powerful telepath and pyrokinetic with a major split personality. During a battle with the Hellfire Club, Bobby discovered that Elizabeth and Lucas had fallen in love. This infuriated Bobby, and he used his icemaking powers to cause her to fall off a cliff.

Elizabeth survived the fall, but she suffered a miscarriage as a result. Cannonball, his own best friend, had threatened him with bodily harm if he ever came near Sam's family. Bobby shook with rage when he remembered what Lucas did to him. After that, he had run away, and he had been here in Canada since then. He liked being here, in the cold, all alone.

_Xavier taught me one valuable thing about myself._ Bobby growled mentally. _Professor Xavier said that I have the potential to be one of the most powerful mutants on earth. However, I was too busy being the 'pranking idiot' to realize that. _His face then formed a smirk. His brown eyes seemed to have the gleam of a man who had gone semi-mad. But then again, Bobby had allowed his rage to fester for the last four months, and it was possible it affected his mind. _Sam was supposed to be my best friend. I thought he'd understand my being heartbroken. After all, I would've moved heaven and earth for that redneck tramp sister of his, but she decided to be with that jerk Lucas Xavier, and he took __Elizabeth__'s side. I didn't mean to hurt __Elizabeth__. I just wanted to give her a scare. How was I to know that ice would crack under her weight? My own best friend looked at me as if I had lost it, and that twisted freak Lucas nearly kills me! I'm not as dumb as everyone thinks I am. _Bobby looked up at the sky. _I had no idea __Elizabeth__ was pregnant. She didn't show. What right did they have to judge me? I made a mistake…That was all. I made a mistake, and they thought I was a monster. Well, that's fine. If they want me to be a monster, I'll be the cold-hearted monster. It's about time I started **earning** the name of Iceman._ Bobby glared at a snow covered tree. He quickly pointed his fist at the tree, and fired a light blue beam of freezing energy at the tree. _I've been practicing. I can do quite a lot with the cold. I can become a true ice man. Not to mention I've created some new tricks._ The beam hit the tree, encasing it in solid ice. With a roar, Bobby iced up his fist and punched the tree, causing it to shatter like glass. The semi-crazy ice-making mutant smiled to himself. _I wonder if Cannonball ever saw life as a comet._ Bobby smirked. _I'll show them. I'll show Cannonball that his namesake can't shatter ice if it fights back. I'll show Lucas that I'm not afraid of him. And I'll show that tramp __Elizabeth__ what she could've had. I'll make them all pay._ Bobby chuckled to himself as he started walking, thinking up ways to torment those who had hurt him. _I wonder what the X-Men would think if they saw me now. I've changed a lot in the past four months. I've grown up. I'm not going to be their little clown anymore. I heard this old saying on TV: "The Iceman Cometh". Well Legion, the Iceman shall cometh. The **real** Iceman. The Iceman will come for you. You are going to regret torturing me in the Mansion. Your little woman will regret breaking my heart. And my 'best friend'…He's going to wish he had never threatened me._ Bobby's eyes turned into glowing orbs of light blue as he picked up a rock. He watched the rock freeze in his hand. _And if anyone gets in my way, they'll feel a permanent chill._ He crushed the frozen rock in his hand. He heard a bestial, animalistic roar. "What?" A huge creature, covered in white fur, bounded out of the trees. It looked to be at least ten feet tall, and it appeared to be a white-furred Bigfoot on steroids, with ferocious glowing red eyes, and knife-like yellow teeth.

"_Wen-di-gooooooooo!!!!!!_" The creature howled. Bobby snarled at the creature.

"Oh look." Bobby smirked. "Sasquatch _is_ real. And you are one ugly mother-" Bobby's joke was interrupted by the creature's leaping at him.

**Man, talk about your 180 degree transformations! Next up: Iceman vs. the Wendigo!**


	2. Savage Attack

**Black Ice**

_To SperryDee: Hey there Sperry! Nice to hear a review from you! I am a fan of the 'Sidney-verse' as well, and in this story, I wanted to show Bobby's darker side, especially after the events of "To Err is Human". Todd Fan has made this part of Sidney Chronicles continuity, so I don't plan to kill anyone off. Enjoy the new chapter, and check out my 'Misfit-verse' fics! _

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, RogueFan! Yes, I am a big fan of the Sidney-verse. According to my Hulk guidebook, I spelled Wendigo right. Yes, what Bobby did was wrong, but I did feel sorry for him and I think what todd fan intended was to make him a tragic character. The impression I got from "To Err is Human" was that Elizabeth really didn't have any idea that Bobby liked her in that way, so Sam could be really surprised by Bobby's behavior, and Sam would be **really** surprised when he sees Bobby again. __Elizabeth__ hurt Bobby unintentionally and unknowingly. That's the impression I got. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there Red! Yeah, someone's been out in the snow too long. Oh yeah, when are you going to put up more stories and stuff? I can hardly wait for more from you! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Nice to get reviews from you! I'm glad you liked the side fic so far. I may not update it often because I got a lot of other stuff to work on. But don't be afraid, I will finish it. Bobby's not completely off the deep end, but he has some bitterness issues. He basically can't let go. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Yeah, Gambit has a point with that quote. Bobby's personality did a 180 because he feels that he doesn't have anyone. A girl he liked went with someone he didn't and his best friend seemingly turned his back on him. Bobby feels now all he's got now is his powers, and he should start living up to the codename of Iceman. Emma Frost took over Iceman's body? Yeah, I remember reading that happened in Iceman's bio on a website, and when was that exactly? I don't have the issues. Yes, it's the same Wendigo. Bobby's power has grown quite a lot in the past four months, and I would not be surprised if he gave his old teammates one heck of a fight. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Was it over when the Germans bombed ****Pearl Harbor****?" - John Belushi as John "Bluto" Blutarsky, Animal House**

Chapter 2: Savage Attack

**Somewhere in the middle of Canada**

The Wendigo snarled as it leapt up towards Iceman. The cursed creature was ready to tear the ice-making mutant to shreds with its claws. Bobby, as quick as lightning, rolled out of the way. The creature landed on all fours, and Bobby fired a blast of ice at the Wendigo, encasing it in ice. Iceman smirked as he got to his feet and walked off.

"Sasquatch is a lot dumber than I thought." Bobby chuckled as he walked away. He heard the sound of cracking. He turned around and saw the ice around the Wendigo cracking up. With a roar, the Wendigo broke out of his icy prison. Bobby snarled at the creature. "I see that you don't know when you're licked."

"_Wen-di-gooooooooooooooo_" The creature roared, charging Bobby again. Iceman stood his ground, his eyes glowing light blue. The creature charged and slashed at the mutant. Bobby ducked, and punched Wendigo in the stomach. When his fist hit the creature's stomach, he fired an ice beam, freezing the Wendigo's stomach. The creature howled.

"Like it?" Bobby smirked. "I call it my Flash-Freeze Punch." The Wendigo turned and snarled at Bobby, frozen stomach and all. "Forget it, furface. Cold doesn't bother me anymore than it bothers you. Go find someone else to eat." The white-furred monster snarled, his red eyes seeming to glow. The creature roared and tried one last charge.

"_Wen-di-gooooooooo_"

"Sheesh, the Hulk knows more words than you." Bobby grumbled, creating a pair of what appeared to be long thin ice spikes. He pitched the spikes, and they impaled the monster in the chest, making the Wendigo scream. "And he's significantly smarter, too." Bobby walked off. "See you around." The injured monster, fueled by rage and adrenaline, ripped a tree out of the ground and pitched it at Bobby with great strength and anger. Bobby turned. He tried to fire an ice blast at the tree, but he wasn't fast enough. The tree slammed into Bobby, knocking him out cold. The Wendigo snarled as it approached Bobby, ready to rend him limb from limb in revenge for hurting him. The Wendigo heard noise. The creature looked up and saw a stream of flame race towards it.

"_RAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!_" The Wendigo screamed as the flame stream licked his skin, pushing it back. The flames cut, and Wendigo found itself being assaulted by lightning bolts from above. The Wendigo roared in pain as the lightning stopped. A tall, muscular, powerful figure lifted the tree off Bobby with amazing strength, and pitched it at the Wendigo, smashing the cursed white furry monster right in the face. The creature decided enough was enough, and raced off to lick his wounds. The figure was joined by two other figures, one of them was short figure, indicating he was very young, and the other was a slim, average-sized figure. The three figures gathered around the unconscious Iceman.

"Is he dead?" The big figure asked the two others. One of the figures leaned down and checked Bobby's pulse.

"No." The figure said simply. This figure had a Japanese accent. "He is simply unconscious. I suggest we take him back to headquarters."

"Are you sure about that?" The large figure asked. "He's not one of us, you know."

"He may require medical care, and there's no hospital near here. Besides, that was a nasty blow he took. It may have done more than merely knock him out." The medium-sized figure replied in his even, Japanese-accented tone. The short figure chuckled.

"If it weren't for that sneak attack, Frosty the Snowman here probably could've pounded that Wendigo jabroni into next year." The short figure chuckled, his voice carrying what sounded like a Boston accent.

"No kidding." The large figure agreed. The large figure then lifted up Bobby carefully. The medium-sized figure pulled out a small communications device.

"Freedom Force, come in. This is Sunfire. We found an injured mutant and we are taking him back to base. Send transport at these coordinates."

**Looks like our icy hero could be in trouble! Who are Freedom Force? Who's Sunfire? Find out in the next chapter!**


	3. Meet Freedom Force

**Black Ice**

_To SperryDee: Hey there SperryDee! Yes, the version of Sunfire I'm using is the original male version. I don't read Exiles, but I do know a little bit about the female Sunfire from Red Witch's fic "This Soap Opera Called Life". I tell you what, maybe I can re-tool her as Sunfire's twin sister or something, and she can be mentioned. I'm very glad you liked my work so far. Feel free to read and review my work. I'm glad you like my characters, especially Darkstar. I got a lot of practice as a writer. That's how I got so good. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! I'm glad you liked the fight between Bobby and the Wendigo. I do agree that if the Wendigo did not use the tree, Iceman would've soundly beaten the Wendigo. As for the roster of Freedom Force, you'll find out in the new chapter! And yes, Thunderbolt is in the crew. And who said he and Sunfire get along? And you bet that Sam, Elizabeth, and Lucas will be very surprised by the 'new' Iceman. And the surprise will **not** be pleasant. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there Red Witch! I read your new one-shots as well as your new fic "Welcome To The Dark Side" and I loved them! So Evan is considered a bit of a hero among the Hellions, huh? No wonder he joined up. I do dislike leaving stories unfinished as well. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! That was the impression I got from the whole thing as well, so I'm sure she'll really be shocked to find out that Bobby did have feelings for her. I also had the impression that neither Sam nor Lucas had no idea of Bobby's feelings for __Elizabeth__, so his return will be extremely shocking to them all. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Yeah, I thought that 'To Err is Human' would be a great opportunity to explore the darker nature of Bobby's personality and show that there's more to him than the goofball prankster. Yeah, Bobby can literally have a 'Heart of Ice', considering his powers and new personality. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Can I get an AMEN?!" - Ron "The Truth" Killings, TNA Wrestling**

Chapter 3: Meet Freedom Force

**An undisclosed location**

"Uhn…" Bobby Drake moaned as he returned to consciousness and opened his eyes. "Wha…" He rose up and found himself sitting in a bed. He appeared to be in a medlab, kind of like back in the Institute.

"Well, nice to see you are awake." A voice said. Bobby blinked as a pretty woman emerged from the shadows. She appeared to be around 18 or 19, and was around 5'4. She was clad in a yellow costume with black on the arms, legs, and thighs. She had on yellow boots and black gloves, and golden forearm bands. Her black hair was straight, and it went down to her lower back. Her features indicated she was of Asian descent. "You took a nasty hit there, pal. Good thing we are around to help you out."

"I don't need help." Bobby grumbled. He was about to get off the bed when he felt a pain in his side. Bobby hissed and held his side. The Asian girl crossed her arms.

"The Wendigo cracked a couple ribs." She said. "I wouldn't move around too much."

"Who _are_ you? What do you want?" Bobby growled.

"The name's Karma." The girl replied. "And I lead Freedom Force."

"Freedom Force?" Bobby blinked.

"I'm like you, Robert Drake." Karma smirked. "I'm a mutant. Whereas you have the power to create ice, I can possess minds."

"How do you know who I am?" Bobby wondered. "Answer me!" His fist glowed light blue.

"Easy, Drake." Karma said. "Freedom Force was formed by people who do not wish for mutants and humans to be at war."

"Are you working for the Professor?" Bobby wondered. "No offense, but I'm not in any mood to meet the X-Men again."

"Who said we were X-Men?" Karma smirked. "Oh, and here." She handed Bobby a pile of clothes. "These were on you. I'll leave you to put them on in peace." The Asian teen walked out of the room, leaving Bobby to change.

**A few minutes later**

Bobby walked out of the medlab, fully dressed in his shirt, jeans, and trenchcoat. He found himself in a metal hallway. The ice-making mutant walked carefully, because his ribs were bandaged. He found Karma waiting for him.

"You're pretty tough, you know." Karma said. "Fighting the Wendigo like that. That creature's really tough. Even frightens the Hulk, from what I heard."

"I spent four months in the ice and snow of Canada." Bobby replied evenly. "That kind of place gets you toughened up quick."

"Four _months?_" Karma blinked. "What were you doing there for four months?" Bobby glared at Karma.

"Soul-searching." Bobby replied. "That's all I'll say." They were silent for a few minutes. "What's this Freedom Force all about?"

"Freedom Force was formed to essentially put mutants in a more positive light." Karma replied. "Come on. I'll introduce you to the others. I'm sure you'd like to meet your rescuers." Karma walked to what appeared to be an elevator.

"This place reminds me of the Institute." Bobby said as he and Karma entered the lift.

"I'm sure it does." Karma chuckled. "That was the underground area. That's where we train. Upstairs, is our living area." The Asian girl explained. The lift stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a hallway that looked like the hallway of an average house, white.

"Where are we, anyway?"

"Welcome to Freedom Force HQ, in California." Karma grinned.

"_California?!_" Bobby exclaimed. "How-"

"Our boss is quite generous." Karma grinned. They walked into a very spacious living room. On a big semi-circular couch was a young boy of 13, who had shoulder-length brown hair in a ponytail and blue eyes, clad in an old Shawn Michaels T-shirt and blue jeans with black sneakers. There was a curvy teenage girl of around 16 with him. She bore a slight resemblance to rock legend Joan Jett, thanks to her long feathered black hair. She was dressed in some tight clothes: a black sleeveless Scorpions concert t-shirt, gold leather pants with a black studded belt, she had a small gold necklace and a black studded collar around her neck, and her wrists were decorated by several golden bracelets each, her feet covered by black socks. Her fingernails were painted black, and she has black lipstick. The two were playing a video game on a huge plasma TV. "The boy is Kyle Wildfire, codename Thunderbolt. He's from Boston, and he's part of a family of professional wrestlers. The girl is named Lila Cheney, codename Starway. She's a teleporter."

"Like Kurt." Bobby nodded.

"Not exactly. The shortest distance Lila can teleport is between planets. We don't know too much about her, but she can sing." Karma corrected with a grin.

"You know a lot about me and the X-Men, Karma…" Bobby started.

"Call me Shan." Karma said with a smile. "My real name is Xi'an Coy Manh, but it's pronounced 'Shan'."

"Okay…Shan." Bobby said with a suspicious look. "How do you know about me and Xavier and…"

"Hey Shanny!" A voice interrupted. A blur sped in front of Karma.

_Pietro?!_ Bobby thought. However, the blur was not Pietro. It was an African-American boy with a sleek build, clad in an old Magic Johnson Lakers jersey, jeans, and black sneakers.

"What do you want, Terrell?" Shan said, crossing her arms, and staring at the teen.

"Have you seen John and Shiro? I need them to play a game downtown." Terrell replied.

"In the garage." Shan said.

"Thanks." Terrell saluted and zipped off.

"That's Terrell Mason. We recruited him in Compton, California. He's a speedster, and he can manipulate wind." Shan explained. She pointed at a Hispanic kid of 14 sitting at a table, eating a grilled cheese sandwich. He had some muscle on him, as evidenced by his sleeveless black t-shirt and leather jacket with studs on the lapels. He had on a couple studded wristbands and black fingerless gloves. His long brown hair was free, and he had a green headband, blue jeans, and cowboy boots. "That's Julio Richter. He's from Mexico. He can generate sonic waves from his hands, and he goes under the codename Rictor." Karma pointed. The Hispanic teen looked up and waved. "And in the garage are two of the guys who saved you." She took Bobby to the garage, and gathered around a car were Terrell and two other boys. One was Asian, and he had short black hair, dressed in a red t-shirt and shorts. The other was a very tall, muscular Native American boy. He was a little over 7 feet, and he had shoulder-length raven black hair, brown eyes, a red headband, and was dressed in a red button-down shirt, and blue jeans. Around his neck was a silver chain with a thunderbird pendant. "The Asian kid is names Shiro Yashida. He's from Japan. He can create superheated plasma and fly. The big guy is John Proudstar, from Arizona. He's a super-athlete. You know, he's fast, he's strong, and very tough. If you'd like, I can gather the whole group together."

"You never answered my question. Who do you work for?" Bobby asked. Karma grinned.

"An old friend of mine. His name's Nick Fury." Bobby's jaw dropped at that.

**Next: Bobby gets to know Freedom Force!**


	4. Getting to Know You!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, man. I'm glad you liked my choices of roster for Freedom Force. It accompanies a little of everything: We got a powerhouse, speedster, a couple elementals, and a quick form of transport. I came up with Lila's codename because when she teleports, she makes her way through the stars, so Starway. How will Bobby react when he meets Freedom Force? Well, we'll find out. And there's still one more member Bobby's not met yet. I chose Karma as a leader because I have never created an Evo version of her, and I think in the comics, she led the New Mutants for a while. Plus, she contributes to the diversity of Freedom Force (If you read the comics, you'll know about Karma). Actually, I think Fury would want to keep Freedom Force under wraps from Xavier and Logan. Fury is an ally and a close friend of Logan, but he's been in the spy game for years. He knows he's going to need something if the X-Men ever go rogue, and that maybe a reason he formed Freedom Force. Also, Freedom Force could be used to cast mutants in a positive light. People may not be so afraid of mutants if they see a group of young mutants using their powers for the government. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Klinoa: Hey there Klinoa! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you like seeing how this fic is going so far. I've been talking with todd fan about possible ideas, so she helped out immensely. I wondered what happened to Bobby after 'To Err is Human' myself, which is the reason why I'm writing this fic. I had some ideas of what happened to him, so here we are. Todd fan has made this fic part of Sidney Chronicle continuity, so I hope I do a good job on it. Yes, Bobby has gone out there a bit. One of the things I hope I do with this fic is show Bobby fighting off the darkness within him. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Yep, Freedom Force works for Nick Fury. They answer to him. I thought that would be an interesting twist to put in. I still have one more member of Freedom Force to introduce. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read your new stuff and I loved it! Yeah, things are getting very interesting around here! The Patriots are going to the Super Bowl again? Looks like I'll have to work on "Misfit Bowl II" or something like that. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! Actually, I wanted Nick Fury to keep Freedom Force sort of under wraps from the X-Men. He formed them to put mutants in a more positive light, and as a card he can play if the X-Men ever go rogue. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Readerrr Grrrl: Hey there Reader! I'm glad you like this story. How do I do it? Well, to be honest, I make up a lot of my stories as I go along. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I had to ride my bike! My behind is killing me!" - Eric Cartman, ****South ****Park**

Chapter 4: Getting to Know You!

**Freedom Force HQ, ****California**

The members of Freedom Force were gathered in the living room, sitting around in the couch and chairs.

"Well, you are a motley bunch." Robert "Iceman" Drake said to the members of Freedom Force.

"You don't look like much yourself, shorty." John Proudstar crossed his arms. "You one of those X-Men we heard about?"

"Not anymore." Bobby scowled. "And _don't_ call me shorty."

"Pal, when you're me, practically _everyone_ is short compared to you." John smirked.

"How _is_ the weather up there anyway, Thunderbird?" Kyle Wildfire teased.

"Keep it up Bolt-boy, and you'll be seeing California from space!" The large Apache snapped.

"Bring it on!" Kyle snapped back.

"Calm down, you two." Shan and Lila prevented the two boys from pounding each other's heads in.

_Sheesh__! With their tempers, I'm surprised they waited until **now** to start brawling._ Shan mentally sighed. She then noticed something. "Hey, has anyone seen Ace?" Shiro snorted.

"That feral is always so easily distracted." The Japanese mutant scowled, crossing his arms.

"Who?" Bobby blinked.

"Ace Starr. He comes from right here in California. Los Angeles to be exact." Shiro grumbled.

"He thinks he's David Lee Roth or something." Lila chuckled. "He dresses like an 80s rocker. He's a feral mutant with a feline mutation. He's got enhanced abilities, a healing factor, plus the ability to fire blue laser beams from his claws."

"Knowing Ace, he's probably hanging out somewhere in town and either playing music at a club or cruising the beach, looking for a date." Shiro grumbled.

"Lucky punk." Terrell groaned. "Ace Starr _never_ has trouble getting a date."

"I do not see why Fury recruited him." Shiro growled. "He takes nothing seriously."

"Ace is dedicated to the team, Shiro. You don't need to worry." Shan re-assured. "He's always been there when he needed us." The group heard a door slam. "Speak of the devil."

"_Aaaaaaaow_ Ace Starr, the Wildstar, the Ace of Hearts, the King of Rock Beasts, has _arrived_, baby! Whoo!" A handsome teenager, around 16, whooped as he entered the room. His handsome face looked a little cat-like, and his wild hair was two-tone: brown with black tips. Ace's hair looked like the mane of a lion. He was dressed in an old AC/DC concert t-shirt, tucked into a pair of acid-washed blue jeans, with a black studded belt. He also wore a blue leather jacket with black sleeves, small silver spikes on the shoulders, and the back of the jacket showed a white-and-silver lion. His hands were clad in black biker gloves, and his claw-like fingernails were painted bright blue. His chocolate brown eyes twinkled with a fun-loving attitude. His left eye had a birthmark of an eight-pointed star, with the cardinal points of the star longer than the other four. Around his eyes, Ace wore silver make-up. His wrists were decorated by various bracelets each, some studded.

"Finally, he arrives." Shiro glared at Ace. Ace shot the Japanese mutant a grin, showing his fangs.

"Oh come on, Shiro." Ace laughed. "I've never been late before. Traffic was murder." Ace noticed Bobby and raised an eyebrow. "Who's the newbie?"

"Are you wearing eye make-up and nail polish?" Bobby asked. Ace smirked.

"I love 70s glam rock. Besides, girls find men who wear make-up very attractive. Just ask Gene Simmons, brother."

"Gene Simmons looks better with make-up anyway." Kyle rolled his eyes.

"Bobby, this is Ace Starr, codename Wildstar." Shan explained. "Ace, that's Bobby Drake, aka Iceman. He was one of Xavier's students."

"I left." Bobby said simply. "I have some personal business to deal with, and I didn't need Xavier's help." _Especially since I was able to increase my powers on my own._ "So, what is this Freedom Force thing about?"

"Nick Fury had gathered us up to help put mutants in a more positive light." Shan answered. "The theory is that if there's a team of mutants that are being trained by the government, Joe and Jane Q. Public won't be so hostile and fearful of the mutant population."

"How'd he convince you guys?" Bobby wondered.

"Ah, the usual stuff: Fame, Money, Girls." Ace quipped.

"We all got involved in this stuff for our own reasons." Shan explained.

"I wanted to do something useful with these powers of mine, man." Terrell said. "They first came to me when I ran across the street to grab this girl off. You see, I grew up in Compton. Tough neighborhood. These two gangs were about to bear down on her in cars, more interested in their little drive-by confrontation. I ran across the street, and before I knew it, I was a speedster. When the gangs fired at each other, they nearly caught us in the crossfire. Luckily, my wind powers also emerged to blow the bullets away into a wall."

"I…don't talk much about my past. Let's just say it involves jerky parents and space travel." Lila grumbled, crossing her arms.

"The Thunderbolt comes from a family of pro wrestlers." Kyle smirked proudly. "The Thunderbolt says his family is proud of that! The Thunderbolt's daddy was World Champ, and his grandpa was World Champ!"

"Kyle's powers make him a living generator." Shan explained. Bobby smirked.

"Electrical powers. I know a couple people who can pull electrical tricks." Iceman smirked.

"He has the ability to generate electricity and shape it to his whim." Shan added. Kyle demonstrated by forming a statue of Bret Hart out of electricity.

"All the Thunderbolt has to do is think it, and it becomes it. Just like the Green Flashlight." Kyle grinned. Bobby raised an eyebrow.

_Wow. Berzerker couldn't do **that** with electricity!_ Bobby whispered.

"I am like Lila over here." Shiro crossed his arms. "I prefer not to speak about my past. I am from Japan, and I have the mutant power to fly and generate plasma."

"Suit yourself." Bobby shrugged.

"As for me…" Ace smirked. "You would _love_ my life story. Born on the back of a tour bus to a roadie and a groupie, settled in LA. Played guitar since age 4, did some commercials as a kid. I'm a star, baby! I'm a man with heavy metal wishes and rock 'n' roll dreams."

"Not to mention Ace never has trouble getting a date." Rictor chuckled. "Lucky stiff. As for me, just call me Rictor. I'm from Mexico, and I can generate sonic waves from my hands. I can use them to give out one heck of a punch or create small earthquakes."

_An__ rocktumbler, just like Avalanche._ Bobby thought.

"They call me Thunderbird around here." John smirked. "I'm essentially a super-athlete. I'm very strong, very fast, and very tough. I am a proud member of the Apache tribe, and I want to restore glory to my people."

"And what's your story?" Bobby shot a look at Shan. The Asian girl seemed to look a little nervous.

"Well, I don't like to talk about my past much. I'm from Vietnam, and my uncle is not exactly…nice." Shan explained. "I had it rough as a kid. Nick Fury and an old friend of his rescued me and my siblings from Vietnam and my uncle, and we've lived in America ever since. I've done a lot of the raising of my siblings, so when Fury formed Freedom Force, he asked me to lead it. I felt I had to pay him back, so here I am."

"How'd he find all of you?" Bobby cast a suspicious look at Freedom Force.

"You think that cue-ball Xavier is the only one who has ways of finding mutants?" Kyle smirked. "Fury has ways."

"So…" Bobby leaned forward. "Have I been recruited?"

"This ain't the draft, Icicle." John said. "You don't want in? That's fine."

"It's a voluntary thing, Bobby." Shan said. "If you'd like to join, that's fine. If you don't, just tell us where we can drop you off, and you can go from there." Bobby thought about it.

"I'm going to need to think this over." The ice-maker replied.

**Next: Iceman makes his decision**


	5. Decision Time!

**Black Ice**

_To Klinoa: Hey there Klinoa! Yep, it's the traditional 'get to know the characters' chapter. They're important to a story, I believe. They help establish the characters. Ace Starr/Wildstar, Terrell Mason/Velocity, and Kyle Wildfire/Thunderbolt are characters in my Misfit-verse fics. In those fics, they are members of the California-based West Coast Misfits. Ace is a feral mutant who has a lion-based mutation and can fire blue laser beams from his claws, Terrell is a speedster who also has the power to manipulate air and wind. Thunderbolt is an electrokinetic who can also mold electricity into constructs and use electrical power to fly. Will Bobby join up? Find out next Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! Yeah, I don't intend for Bobby to meet the X-Men for a while. I don't want the X-Men in this story right now. I just want to focus on Bobby and his issues for a while. I may show them at some point, but for now, the focus will just be on Bobby and on Freedom Force. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To morring star: Hey there star! Nice to hear from you. The decision is really up to Bobby. I don't want to feature the X-Men in this story at this point. I just may do a confrontation between Bobby and the X-Men in this story in the future, but as for now, Bobby is the focus, and Freedom Force plays a very important role in this story._

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! I read your new stuff, and I loved it! Thanks for talking about storyline ideas with me. It's a real help to me figuring out what directions to take this story. Anyway, here's the new chapter for you! I hope you enjoy it!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I'm glad you like the story so far! I hope you like the new chapter! Enjoy!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yeah, Freedom Force does come from varied backgrounds. I'm glad you liked seeing my version of Karma. I thought she would make a good leader. I also thought my choices would make for a fun little team. I needed a feral for Freedom Force, and who better than Ace to fill the job? I think Bobby and Ace would get along pretty well, too. Will Bobby join Freedom Force? Find out next! Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Did you shut off the alarm, Cartman?" - Kyle Broflovski, ****South****Park****: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut**

Chapter 5: Decision Time!

**Freedom Force HQ, ****California**

Robert Drake, the former X-Man and master of pranks known as Iceman, sat on top of the roof of Freedom Force HQ. The headquarters looked like one of those houses that could be seen on a reality TV show. The house was situated over a beach. Bobby was watching the ocean waves crash into the sandy beach. The ice-maker heard a thumping noise. He quickly turned his head and saw Ace Starr climb up on the roof. The leonine teenager grinned, showing that he had fangs.

"What do _you_ want?" Bobby scowled.

"Hey, dude." Ace grinned as he got up and sat down next to the ice-maker. "How you doing?"

"Fine." Bobby replied darkly, maintaining his scowl at the feral. Ace blinked at that.

"Hey man, what's with the anger?" Ace waved out at the sea. "Look at that! You got sun, sand, sea…This is great! You're in California, man! Paradise! What's the anger for, my friend?"

"Sorry. Heat doesn't…agree with my powers. Sometimes it makes me irritable." Bobby grumbled. Ace nodded in understanding.

"Understandable." Ace nodded. "You're an ice-maker. You naturally prefer cold. So, I guess it'd be dumb to ask why you were in Canada."

"Yes, it would be." Bobby's voice held a dark monotone. "And besides, it wouldn't be any of your business, anyway."

"Well, you can't help but wonder why in the name of God a man would want to be in the frozen wasteland of Canada for four months." Ace shrugged. Bobby growled.

"I _said_…it's _none_ of your business." Bobby snarled threateningly. Ace rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I won't pry." Ace responded to Bobby's threat. "So…what're the X-Men like? I heard they're insane."

"They're a bunch of self-serving jerks." Bobby snarled. "Wolverine's a bully, Forge is a nerd, Cannonball is an inbred redneck, Magma's a spoiled brat who could use a kick in the mouth, and the rest are all just a bunch of _CRAZIES!_" Bobby exclaimed angrily. Ace got knocked back a bit by the volume of Bobby's voice. Ace also noticed that there was a lot of venom in the ice-maker's descriptions.

"I guess…being an X-Man wasn't exactly a fun time for you." Ace blinked.

"I was the joke of the bunch. No one took me seriously." Bobby's eyes glowed light blue as his rage built up. "I was considered the weakling of the bunch. I _hated_ it. I never got any respect. So I left." Ace whistled.

"Those X-Men have weird standards." Ace burst out laughing. "If they consider you _weak,_ then what do they call you being able to give the Wendigo a pounding?" Bobby sighed.

"I practiced with my powers during those four months in Canada." Bobby glared at the horizon. "I figured that I was not going to be a weakling anymore. I don't need the X-Men. I hope they all rot." Ace couldn't believe how much venom Bobby used in reference to the mutants.

"I couldn't have been _that_ bad. I'm sure you probably had a _couple_ friends."

"Not really." Bobby never turned his head to Ace. He constantly kept his gaze on the horizon, his face a mask of anger. Ace decided to change the subject.

"So…have you thought about the offer?" Ace asked.

"A little. I'm not really in the mood to be involved in mutant teams again."

"Yeah, but…it could be a fresh start." Ace smirked. "Think about it, Iceman. We're here in sunny California. You know, I am a proud California boy. I got connections. I know people. You'll go far when you know me, baby." Ace laughed happily. For the first time in their conversation, Bobby turned to Ace.

"And why are _you_ here?"

"Me?" Ace pointed to himself. Bobby nodded his head once. Ace thought about it, and then smiled. "Well…adventure, to be honest with you. I come from a…rather…unusual family, so mutation is not the craziest thing we've seen. You wanna know something cool? The spying game runs in my family a bit. I have an uncle who works for the English government. You think _my_ dress sense is retro? The last time my uncle's wardrobe was in style, kids our age were waiting for the latest Beatles single." Ace burst out laughing. Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"I'd hate to be you."

"Why?" Ace blinked.

"Don't you ever get laughed at because of your fashion sense?" Bobby scowled. "You look like Jon Bon Jovi during 1985!"

"Surprisingly, that doesn't happen much." Ace snickered. "I know, it's amazing." Bobby snorted.

"Yeah, sure."

"Maybe you should join up, man. We're a lot cooler than the X-Men." Ace snickered. "We do get to see the world on occasion." Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"What kind of things does Freedom Force do?"

"Well, we fight the bad guys." Ace grinned. "You know, villains, malevolent folks, even the occasional terrorist." Bobby inwardly smirked.

_Hmmm…perhaps a new team is just what the doctor ordered…_Bobby inwardly smirked. Outwardly, he just nodded. "I see."

**A few minutes later**

"Shan?" Bobby walked up to Shan, who was watching TV.

"Yeah?" The mind-controller replied. "What's up?"

"I was thinking…Maybe I will give Freedom Force a try." Bobby smirked.

**_Next: Iceman moves in!_**


	6. Movin' In!

**Black Ice**

_To Red Witch: Hey there Red Witch! I read your new stuff, and I loved it! Will Freedom Force face off against the X-Men? Well, Freedom Force won't. You'll see. As for the Brotherhood joining, I don't have any plans for the Brotherhood to show up right now. I do plan to have them make an appearance, though. For now, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Klinoa: Hey there, Klinoa! Sorry if I offended you, man. I wanted Bobby to head somewhere near __New York__, and __Canada__ touches it. Besides, __Canada__'s a huge country. I'm sure there are areas where it's cold and isolated. I'm glad you liked Ace. I created him because I wanted to see a feral mutant who was different from Wolverine and Sabertooth. Ace is kind of like the feral version of the Fonz. I agree, Bon Jovi is awesome. Where will Bobby go with Freedom Force? Read on and find out! Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Your IT teacher put fan fiction on the BANNED list! He **deserves** to be yelled at! I hope you can still read and review! Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I read the new chapter of "Little Shop of Mutants", and I loved it! I'm still patiently waiting to see Pyro the crazed dentist. I'm glad you liked seeing Bobby's more vicious side. Trust me, more of it will show in the story. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yup! Bobby Drake has joined Freedom Force. A lot of good things could happen to Bobby in Freedom Force, like you said. However, a lot of bad things could happen too. Yeah, he did smirk internally when Ace told him what Freedom Force did. I think the Iceman just may have a plan to get back at the Dark Hollow Mutants (You seriously need to name them). Yeah, I think Elizabeth, Lucas, and Sam will be surprised by the 'new' Iceman. I do have plans for Iceman to pull a nasty surprise on the X-Men. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "BOO-YAH!" - Cyborg, Teen Titans**

Chapter 6: Movin' In!

**Freedom Force HQ, ****Los Angeles****California**

"And here's your room." Ace Starr grinned as he led Bobby Drake to his new quarters. Ace pressed a button on the side, and the door slid open. Ace turned on the light. Bobby looked at his new room. It looked cozy, albeit plain, with with white walls and beige carpet. "Sorry about the plainness. However, we do have very lenient rules on decoration. Feel free to make yourself at home." Ace leaned on the open doorway, arms crossed.

"Yeah, yeah." Bobby waved. "It'll do just fine." Bobby walked in and dumped his duffel bag on the floor. He opened it and started throwing his clothes and things all over the place. Ace noticed a particular piece of clothing land near him: Bobby's old New Mutant uniform. Bobby didn't notice Ace pick it up and examine it.

_Solid dark blue…X-Shields on shoulders…rather plain, if you ask this Ace of Hearts._ Ace mentally judged. "No wonder you left the X-Men, Drake. Look at this costume. I'd leave too if I have to wear this." Bobby turned around.

"Give me that!" Bobby snapped, snatching away the costume. He clutched it in his fist. "I thought I got rid of this lousy thing."

"You could use that as your Freedom Force costume." Ace suggested. "Although I'd put some color in that costume." Bobby looked down at the old costume for a while, them up at Ace.

"Tell your friend Sunfire to burn it." Bobby said simply, throwing the costume at Ace. "I have no more need for it."

"Yeah, I don't really like this costume, either. No color. No design. How does anyone know you're an Iceman?" Ace snickered. Bobby glared.

"Because I can sheath myself in ice, you nitwit." Bobby grumbled. Ace shook his head.

"Okay, okay. Then perhaps in your case, you don't need a new costume."

"I don't want to wear _that_ one." Bobby grumbled.

"Tell you what. I'm going to take you downtown, and I'm going to get you a costume. I know this really cool lady. She's a fashion designer and she loves working with superheroes. She once fixed up Spider-Man's costume when he went to LA that one time." Bobby raised an eyebrow.

"Spider-Man? You're making that up."

"Dude, I was there. If it weren't for me, he'd be a dead arachnid right now." Ace grinned. "You'll love her. I'll take you down to her shop later." Ace walked away. Bobby blinked.

"This Freedom Force is full of nutjobs." Bobby grumbled.

**Later, in ****Los Angeles**

"This is a dumb idea." Bobby grumbled as he watched LA pass by him. He was sitting the passenger seat of a blue Ferrari. The Ferrari was driven by one Ace Starr. He had AC/DC blaring from his stereo system.

"You'll love this place. I get all my clothes there." Ace laughed. "I know her so well, she has stuff custom-made for me. That's how I got this jacket."

"I feel very worried all of a sudden." Bobby groaned, rolling his eyes.

"We're _heee__-re!_" Ace joked in a high-pitched voice as they pulled up in front of a store. Bobby looked up and read the sign:

ROXY'S ROCK DEN

"Roxy's Rock Den?" Bobby asked incredulously. Ace grinned as the two entered the store. The store was full of various clothing items that looked all ripped from the 1980s, including headbands, metal t-shirts, fringe wristbands, and the like.

"Roxy? Roxy…" Ace called. "Hey Roxy! Where are you?" A woman with long blue hair, and a tape measure around her neck, peeked out from the back. She had a tan, and was in her 40s, but she looked really good for her age.

"Ace!" She exclaimed happily, her voice containing a Queens accent. The woman walked out, dressed in an old metal t-shirt and blue jeans. She hugged Ace.

"Hey, Bobby! Come over here! This is Roxy." Ace waved. "Roxy, this is Bobby Drake. I told you about him earlier." Roxy grabbed Bobby's hand and shook it vigorously.

"Nice to meet you, kid. How do you like my store?" Roxy grinned.

"It's…different." Bobby said simply.

"He needs a costume." Ace said to Roxy. "He's got ice powers, so I was thinking that perhaps you could provide a costume that reflects that in some manner."

"Hmmm…" Roxy looked Bobby over. "I think I can do something with him. Just let me get his measurements, and we're all set!" Roxy took her tape measure and got Bobby's measurements. "Okay, I'll get to work on it, and I'll let you know when it's ready!"

"You rock, Roxy!" Ace whooped. Bobby rolled his eyes.

_What did I get myself into?_

**_Next: Some fun with Freedom Force!_**


	7. Life's a Beach!

**Black Ice**

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Yeah, that's understandable. A lot of fics don't contain many curse words or are very light. Oh well, what can you do? As for help, I'll see who wants to help you out and let you know, okay? I think you may be able to use Trouble from my Southside Misfit fics. You'll have to ask Aaron, though. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To morlock the insane: Hey there morlock! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you like the story so far, as well as my other fics. I hope you keep on reading and reviewing. I'm glad you like seeing my interpretation of Bobby Drake in this story. I am a big fan of todd fan's Sidney Chronicles, and when I read "To Err is Human", I thought that the story provided an awesome opportunity to show Bobby in a new light. I agree, too many fics portray Bobby as either an idiot, a joker, or both. I felt sorry for Bobby and I felt that maybe there should be a side fic to "To Err is Human", and after some discussion of ideas with todd fan, "Black Ice" was born, which is intended to portray Bobby as a darker, gruffer, angrier, more vicious and, pardon the pun, cold-hearted person. Trust me, I haven't **begun** to show how much Bobby has changed. I have plans for him to meet up with the X-Men again, and trust me, Bobby does **not** plan to treat them warmly, no pun intended. Bobby said it himself, right now, he wants to **earn** the codename Iceman. You know, if you ever want to use any of my characters in your fics, let me know, and I'll provide information on them for you. Enjoy the new chapter! _

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read the new chapter of "Double Identity" and I loved it! Something tells me a certain blonde has grown interested in paying Rogue back for killing her unintentionally. I'm glad you liked Roxy! She was a fun little cameo character I wanted to bring in. She's making Bobby's new costume. You'll love what I have in mind for Bobby's costume. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Too bad your computer isn't fixed up yet. That can be really annoying. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for your brother to fix your computer so you can update "Little Shop of Mutants" and "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical"! I did manage to read the new chapter of "Slugs and Snails", and I loved it! I really liked seeing Scott hallucinate! Have him think he sees Jean, and he ends up making out with a cactus. That would be awesome! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Yeah, Ace is a lot like Bobby back during his X-Men days. Ace is fun-loving, cool, and in Shiro's words, "Takes Nothing Seriously". I'm sure we'll find out how Bobby reacts to his new costume when he gets it. We'll see soon how Bobby handles his first mission as a member of Freedom Force. I agree with you that this will be interesting. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Fiji! ****Paradise****!"**** - Ozzy Osbourne, The Osbournes**

Chapter 7: Life's a Beach!

**The beach**

"Ahhhh…Life is good." Shan smiled as she walked on the sand, dressed in a black one-piece swimsuit. She sat down on a blanket. Nearby was Lila in a blue bikini, sunning herself. "Hey Lila, this was a great idea."

"Didn't I tell you?" Lila grinned, pulling down her gold shades. The two girls saw Kyle building a sandcastle nearby. John and Shiro were playing volleyball against Terrell and Rictor, and Bobby was watching. Ace was flirting with a couple pretty girls. Shan noticed that unlike the others, who were wearing swimming clothes, Bobby was clad in his t-shirt, jeans, and trenchcoat. "Huh. I wonder why Bobby didn't want to put on some swim gear and come join us." Shan looked up. Bobby was leaning against an ice cream stand, scowling at anyone who looked at him.

"You got a problem, lady?" Bobby growled at a woman, scaring her off. The ice-powered mutant chuckled. "Now I know why Lance enjoys this whole 'tough-guy' stuff." He noticed Shan walk towards him. "What do you want, Karma?"

"You alright, Bobby?" Karma asked. Bobby grumbled.

"Yeah." Bobby growled. "I hate the freakin' beach. This heat drives me nuts."

"I'm sure your trenchcoat isn't helping." Shan chuckled. Bobby drew the collar up over his face.

"I like the trenchcoat. Makes me look sinister."

"Okay Sinister, but why won't you come down and enjoy the sunshine with us?" Karma asked.

"I make ice. Sunshine means heat. I don't like heat." Bobby grumbled.

"If you say so." Karma shrugged. "But I think you should relax and have some fun."

"Yeah, whatever." Bobby shrugged. He walked over to where John, Terrell, Rictor, and Shiro were playing volleyball. Some people were watching and clapping. Bobby watched the game.

"Hey kid, aren't you burning up in that coat?" A man in a loud Hawaiian shirt asked Bobby with concern. The ice-maker shot the man a flat look.

"Aren't _you_ worried about getting arrested for disturbing the peace? You should be, with that shirt." Bobby ribbed in an even tone. The man blinked.

"A little smart-mouth, huh?" The man chuckled. Bobby snorted.

"Yeah! Alright!" The crowd clapped as Terrell scored the winning point.

"That's right!" Terrell whooped as he raised his hands in victory. "That's right! Who's the man, baby? Who is the man! You can't touch me! I'm too fast!"

"No fair, Mason! You used your speed to stop the ball in time! We agreed that no powers would be used!" John snapped as the crowd dissipated.

"What're you insinuating, Proudstar!" Terrell smirked. "You sayin' I _need_ my powers to kick butt! I'll have you know man, I grew up in Compton! Madhouse down there, man!" Shiro chuckled at this.

"Hey Shiro, no surprise you got your butt kicked again, jabroni!" Kyle smirked. Shiro growled at the young Bostonian.

"Come over here and say that to my face, Gaijin!" Shiro snapped as he walked over to Kyle, who was getting to his feet. The two mutants then started to get into each other's faces. It then escalated to shoving, and then they started throwing punches.

"You can't go anywhere without those two getting at it!" Lila groaned, referring to Kyle and Shiro. Ace Starr noticed this as he was talking to a girl. He chuckled.

"Don't mind them, babe." Ace chuckled. "They just love to brawl."

**An insane asylum in England**

"Now you have to be careful here." One guard said to a second guard as they walked down the hallways to a cell. "This one's a real firecracker, he is."

"Yeah." The second guard agreed as he looked at a clipboard. "Name's Vincent James. They also say he's a mutie."

"That's why they made this wing for him. Kid's a genius, and a psycho. They say he can work magic with machines and also can control machines. That's why there's no electronic devices allowed in here." The first guard warned. "There he is." He pointed ahead to a cell door. "They call him the Virus. He's one bloody psychotic little pillock. Believes that machines are the rightful rulers of the earth." The two guards peeked in and saw a teenage boy, around 16 sitting cross-legged in the middle of the padded room, dressed in white, and his limbs tied by a white straitjacket. He had a green headband, and his long brown hair flowed over his pale green-eyed face. His expression was a mask of rage directed at the guards.

"Let me out of here, you filthy organics! You think you can keep the Virus under your tyrannical rule? THINK AGAIN!"

**_Next: More fun with Freedom Force!_**


	8. Thrills in the Night!

**Black Ice**

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! It's so nice to hear from you again! Sorry the teacher banned fanfiction again. What can I do? I'll see if the Misfits will help. Anyway, I'm very glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you liked this new one!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Nice to hear from you again, my friend! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yep, that's Virus, the big bad villain of this piece. But before I want to get to him, I want to mainly concentrate on Bobby's issues right now. Enjoy this fun new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", and "Little Shop of Mutants"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Yes, things are about to get wild, especially since I just introduced the main villain of this fic. I read the new chapter of "Double Identity", and I loved it! Hooray for Rogue! She can finally touch other people, even if it's only for a little while at a time. Good show, Red Witch! Good show! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I had to ride my bike here! My behind is killing me!" - Eric Cartman, ****South****Park****: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut**

Chapter 8: Thrills in the Night!

**West Hollywood, ****California**

"Ace Starr, you are the _best!_" Terrell Mason whooped as he emerged from Ace's car. Accompanying him was John Proudstar, Ace Starr, Lila Cheney, Shiro Yashida, and Freedom Force's newest member: Bobby Drake. The six young mutants were heading towards a club downtown.

"What'd I tell you guys?" Ace grinned. "I _told_ you guys. This club is awesome! Too bad the other guys couldn't come with us."

"Karma wanted to stay in and babysit Rictor and Thunderbolt, much to _their_ chagrin." John snickered. Julio Richter preferred being referred to by his codename than his real name.

"Yeah, Kyle hated it the most, but the poor kid is too young." Ace shrugged.

"He'd better get used to hearing that kind of rejection." Bobby grumbled.

"Oh stop with the whole brooding stuff, man." Terrell groaned. "Come on, man! Let's have some fun!" Terrell threw his arm around Bobby and dragged him into the club, the other four mutants not far behind. Once the mutants went inside, they all separated and did their own thing.

**Freedom Force HQ**

"Man, this really bites, jabroni!" Kyle Wildfire grumbled. The young Boston-born electrokinetic lied back on the couch of the living room, playing a handheld videogame.

"I agree, amigo." Rictor grumbled. The young Mexican sonic generator sat on the carpet in front of the couch, watching the TV. He then started mocking the others. "You're too young, boys. You need ID, fellas." He went back to his normal voice. "Remind me to knock Terrell's teeth out when I see him again."

"Sure, as soon as you help the Thunderbolt whup Sushi into next week." Kyle nodded. "Sushi" was Kyle's name for Shiro.

"Oh relax, boys." Karma said as she walked in, carrying a bowl of popcorn and a stack of DVDs. "I rented us some DVDs so we could have a little movie marathon while the others are out."

"Whoopee." Kyle groaned.

**The club**

Once the other members of Freedom Force entered the club, they separated and pretty much did their own thing. Ace and Terrell went girl-hunting. John and Shiro found people to talk to, and they were sitting at tables. Lila went to get a soda, and check out the guys. Bobby stood at a wall, staring at the dancing teenagers.

_Look at them._ Bobby grumbled mentally. _They think that this stuff is fun. They think that life right now is a great thing. If only they knew. If only they knew that life is only a series of disappointments. I should know._ Lila eyed Bobby standing at the wall, being moody as usual.

"Yo Drake!" She called out, waving to him. "Come here and have a soda with me!" Bobby rolled his eyes and walked over. "Thanks."

"What for, Lila? You want something, don't you?" Bobby said as he sat down next to the interstellar teleporter.

"Of course." Lila snickered. "Makes me look more appealing when I have a cute guy with me. Makes the other guys jealous." Lila laughed. "I'm just joking."

"It wasn't _that_ funny." Bobby grumbled. Lila blinked.

"You need to relax, Drake. You're a bit high-strung, you know that?" Lila asked, sipping her soda. Bobby huffed.

"Ha! You should've met my old leader in the X-Men. Scott Summers. The guy can't control his powers, so he thinks that he shouldn't be able to have emotions. That guy is such a tightwad. Nobody really liked him, except that redhead girlfriend of his. But she was a tramp anyway."

"If this Scott guy was so bad, why didn't you do something about it?" Lila asked.

"Because even though Summers is a tightwad with some serious issues…the man could lead." Bobby smirked. "Leading the X-Men was the only thing that lamebrain was **remotely** competent at." Lila blinked.

"Ace told me that you didn't enjoy the X-Men." Lila said.

"Well, I used to be a prankster." Bobby admitted. "But I gave that up. The X-Men thought of me as an idiot and a weakling. Not to mention that they were all jerks in their own way."

"Sounds like they didn't think you belonged in their ranks." Lila said. Bobby ordered a soda, then turned back to Lila.

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "Among my teammates, they had a lava-controlling princess who is a real brat. There was a Southern Goth who really needed to turn off the attitude for once in her wretched life, there was this little loudmouth whiny kid who could multiply himself, a girl with the ability to create energy bombs who was the resident bar wench, a jerk Brazilian rich boy who got power from the sun who thought he was hot stuff, a German horror movie reject, a Chicago Valley Girl-wannabe who couldn't cook to save her life and was in complete denial about it, and a Scot who could use a good silver bullet to the head."

"Yikes." Lila blinked. "Sounds like you didn't make many friends on that team."

"I did have one. At least, I thought I did." Bobby sipped his soda. "Samuel Zachary Guthrie, codename Cannonball. He could fly like a human rocket. But he was a redneck at its purest. I doubt that guy knew even basic arithmetic before joining the X-Men. He probably even had no idea he was a mutant, even though what he could do is not exactly normal. Dumb as a brick, but a good guy. At least I thought so. It's a long story, but simply, in the end, he turned his back on me. That was the last straw. I up and left the X-Men, and went on a journey to Canada."

"Why to Canada? You from there?"

"No, it's cold there. I like cold." Bobby said. "I've been there to strengthen my powers. Show the world that Robert Drake is not some idiotic weakling twit." Meanwhile, Shiro was talking with a guy about random stuff.

"Yes, but…" Shiro's answer was being interrupted by a vibration from his back pocket. "Excuse me." He pulled out a cell phone and unfolded it. "Yes?"

"Hey Shiro, we got a mission. Gather everyone up and head back." Shan's voice came from the other end. Shiro nodded. "Oh yeah, and Bobby's new costume has arrived."

**An insane asylum in England**

The teenage boy named Vincent James, also known as the Virus, had a maniacal grin on his face as he watched the mental hospital burn to the ground.

"Filthy organics…" Virus snarled, his English accent being very obvious. "Bloody humans think they can destroy me, huh mates? Think they can stop me mission to help Earth achieve its true destiny? I don't think so. I am now free, which means Earth now has a fighting chance! The machines now can rise and make organic life suffer for enslaving it and taking what's rightfully theirs. The Virus is destined to rule a world of machines, and the organics can only watch…and die."

**_Next: Iceman's first mission with Freedom Force!_**


	9. First Mission!

**Black Ice**

_To Seth Child Star: Hey there, Seth Child Star! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you like this story so far! I've looked in your profile, and I see you've written some fics starring Bobby yourself. I'm glad that you like my work so far! Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Klinoa: Hey there Klinoa! Nice to hear from you again! You can still review those chapters if you wish! Yeah, so far, things are going rather good with Bobby and the rest of Freedom Force, but that may change. Yeah, I've kind of grown to like Bobby showing his darker side more. Gives him depth and shows that Bobby does have his own problems and issues to deal with, and he's not just some goofball practical joker. What does "jabroni" mean? It's an insult term the Rock uses a lot. That's basically what it means. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! Okay, good luck with that! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy this new one!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, poor Bobby's wallowing in darkness right now. And as I am sure you know, Bobby's descent into darkness has just begun. And it's no surprise that he only thinks negatively about the X-Men. As far as he's concerned, they have never done him any good before. They've made fun of him a lot, and he has a broken heart thanks to the sister of an X-Man (Unintentionally and unknowingly). Anyway, enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, Bobby does have some major issues. As he said in the first chapter, Bobby wants to **earn** his codename of Iceman. He wants to be like the element that he can control: Cold and hard. As far as he's concerned, his powers are all he's got now. I can imagine Rictor and Thunderbolt being none too happy with being allowed to go clubbing. They're the youngest of the team, and it can be annoying for them sometimes. Yep, Virus, the big bad villain of this story, has arrived, and he definitely is mad. As for Bobby's first mission with Freedom Force, let's just say it's going to be a big reminder for the Iceman. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! You bet that it's going to be wild! As for Bobby's attitude problem, well…Let's just say I haven't **begun** to show just how bad Bobby's attitude has gotten. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff" and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

**Disclaimer: "Your girlfriend lives in the corner penthouse of Spook Central." - Dan Ackroyd as Dr. Ray Stantz, Ghostbusters**

Chapter 9: First Mission!

**Freedom Force HQ**

The members of Freedom Force were all gathered around in costume. Karma was in her standard black-and-yellow uniform.

"What's this all about, Karma?" Lila asked. Her costume was black with gold on the chest, shoulders, and around the waist, gold boots, black gloves, gold studded forearm bands, and a white 5-pointed star on the chest.

"Another mission, another dollar." Kyle quipped. Kyle's costume was a blue with yellow boots, yellow lightning bolts on the chest and legs and around his waist. He also had on blue shades and a black leather jacket that had blue sleeves with a yellow lightning zigzag racing stripe going down each arm.

"This had better be a good one. I've been itching for a fight." John grumbled. John's costume was blue and sleeveless with red fringe at the shoulders. The costume had a red bird-like design on the chest that also went down the legs, red boots with red fringe, a gold belt with a bird-shaped buckle, a red eyemask, and a red headband with a pair of big white feathers on the back.

"Must you rate the success of a mission by how violent it gets?" Shiro narrowed his eyes at the Apache mutant. Shiro's costume was mainly inspired by the national flag of his home country: A red costume with white lines on the chest that seemed to emanate from the red circular buckle of his white-and-red belt. The red boots and gloves of his costume were decorated by yellow flames. Shiro's head was covered by a red helmet. The front of the helmet looked a little cat-like, with the bottom of Shiro's nose and mouth exposed, mirrored lenses, and yellow flames painted on the top of the helmet.

"It's Apache's thing, man!" Terrell laughed. His costume was a black high-collared bodysuit with a silver lightning bolt on the chest that also went around Terrell's neck, silver forearm bands, and silver boots. He also had on a backwards black baseball cap.

"I look ridiculous!" Bobby's roar could be heard as Ace walked out in his uniform. Ace's costume was just as flashy as Ace himself: bright blue with white fur around the neck. His blue costume had black studded forearm bands and blue fingerless biker gloves. A pair of silver chains crossed his chest, which were attached to a white studded belt and a pair of white shoulder pads with spikes on them, and a blue cape. The boots of Ace's costume were white with fur on top. Ace laughed.

"Oh relax, it's not _that_ bad!" Ace snickered. "I think Roxy did a great job."

"Your friend Roxy is going to get frozen from the inside out for this!" Bobby snarled as he walked out in his new costume: A light blue bodysuit with a silver-and-white icicle pattern around the chest and shoulders. The costume had white boots, and a light blue trenchcoat with an icicle pattern like the bodysuit. The coat had fur around the neck, and a parka-like hood. The costume was completed by a pair of sunglasses that Bobby was wearing. The sunglasses were light blue with light blue-tinted lenses, and his brown hair was in a ponytail. "I look like something from a comic book!"

"Yeah, you look like Commander Cold." Kyle chuckled. "He's a character in the Thunderbolt's Galactic Justice Force comics."

"Yeah!" Rictor agreed with a chuckle. His costume wasn't really a costume. He just basically wore a sleeveless white shirt and black jacket with studs on the shoulders, blue jeans, and brown work boots. He had on biker gloves and studded wristbands. Rictor wasn't much of a costume guy. "It makes you look like a human popsicle." Bobby stiffened at the word 'Popsicle'. It was Logan's old nickname for him.

"At least I _have_ a costume." Bobby grumbled. "And _don't_ call me 'popsicle'." The former X-Man got into the young Mexican's face and bared his teeth. "I _hate_ being called that!" Bobby snarled through gritted teeth. Rictor blinked.

"Okay, okay! Calm down! Calm down!" Rictor said.

"Easy, Bobby." Ace took Bobby's shoulder. "Let's just calm down, huh?"

"Yeah." Karma blinked. She motioned to a woman clad in a black SHIELD uniform. Her black hair had a white streak in it. It kind of reminded Bobby of Rogue a little bit. The woman also bore a slight resemblance to actress Lisa Rinna.

_Oh look, Rogue's mother._ Bobby mentally grumbled.

"Dang, she fine!" Terrell grinned. John whistled appreciatively. Shiro's face remained a mask of stone.

"She's Italian." Ace nodded approvingly. "Italian women have this aura about them. I can tell."

"This is Contessa…uh…Valentine Fountain?" Karma blinked up at the woman in a confused manner.

"Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine." The woman introduced herself, her voice containing an Italian lit.

"I knew it!" Ace grinned.

"You got enough names, jabroni?" Kyle smirked at the woman. "And why the heck would anybody have one of those names be shared with a cold pill?"

"She's our new adult chaperone." Karma said.

"You mean, you guys have been living here by yourselves?" Bobby blinked.

"No, our last chaperone had to go to the hospital." Kyle snickered.

"That was _your_ fault, Thunderbolt." Shiro grumbled.

"Hey, I was having a power surge, okay! It wasn't my fault! I had a bad week!" Kyle snapped.

"Bad week!" Shiro shot Kyle an unbelieving look. "You just decided to show him your talent for constructs!"

"You distracted me!" Kyle snapped. The two mutants were about to throw punches.

"Hey, cool out!" Ace said. He and Terrell kept them separate.

"How long have you guys been together again?" Bobby wondered.

"Around a month, six weeks, tops." Lila shrugged. Bobby groaned.

"We're snowed." Bobby groaned. Valentina cleared her throat.

"If you children are quite finished: I'd like to tell you about your assignment." Valentina pulled out the file folder from under her arm. "She opened it and pulled out a picture of a teenage girl who looked like a cross between cat and human, with whiskers, wild black hair with a white streak, rounded green cat-like eyes, and tabby-colored fur. Bobby's eyes widened under his sunglasses.

"Sidney Cagney. Never thought I'd hear _that_ name ever again." Bobby grumbled.

"You know her?" Valentina asked.

"From when I lived in Bayville." Iceman smirked. "Girl would jump on top of every guy she ever saw. She was a real alley cat." Bobby didn't mind making up such horrendous things about people he once considered friends. As far as he was concerned, they could all rot. X-Men, Brotherhood, Sidney, it didn't matter to Robert Drake. They were all dead to him. Besides, they never liked his jokes anyway.

"Sounds like your kind of woman, Terrell." Kyle teased.

"Shut up, Kyle." Terrell grumbled. "Since she's such an alley cat, according to Iceman over there, she'd be more like Ace's type, considering he's an alley cat himself."

"My mutation comes from the great King of Beasts." Ace exclaimed with mock offense.

"…Bobby Drake?" Valentina placed his name. "Karma told me about you. Former X-Man, Freedom Force found you in Canada."

"I quit the X-Men." Bobby said simply. He glared at Shan. "And if the Wendigo didn't use that tree, I would've _killed_ that thing!" Bobby's glasses went down his nose slightly, indicating that his brown eyes were glowing light blue.

"Anyway…" Valentina continued. "Miss Cagney and the artist known as the Dazzler are currently on tour."

"I heard of Dazzler." Ace added. "She's all about that pop music stuff. Yech. I'm all rock 'n' roll, baby!"

"We believe that they are being stalked by a dangerous mutant. Not much is known about this mutant." Valentina said. "We have been asked to provide security for Dazzler and Cagney until this mutant can be brought under control."

"Let me guess, _we_ have to do it, huh?" Bobby sighed. "Figures." _Typical! Just typical! Just when I think I can get away from those X-Jerks, something comes up that reminds me of them all over again!_

**_Next: An old foe returns!_**


	10. Confrontation!

**Black Ice**

_To Klinoa: Hey there, Klinoa. Nice to hear from you again! I'm a huge WWE fan myself. Been one since 15. Expect Kyle to use the word 'jabroni' a lot. It's sort of his favorite word to call people. Yep, Freedom Force is going to guard Sidney and Dazzler. You can bet that the meeting between Sidney and the 'new' Iceman will not be pretty! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! I read your new fic "Welcome to the __Enchanted __Land__" and the new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution: The Musical" and "Little Shop of Mutants", and I loved them! I don't think the drug references were the reason the Magic Roundabout never crossed the pond. You also captured Bobby's anguish really well. Yeah, I thought the Commander Cold thing was good for a laugh myself. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for more chapters of "Welcome to the __Enchanted __Land__", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Slugs and Snails!"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! Oh, you bet it's going to be fun. Yeah, I can imagine the team would be shocked if they learned the real reason why Bobby quit the X-Men. You can **bet** that a confrontation between Bobby and Sidney will not be good. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, Bobby's past has come back to haunt him. And yeah, Sid and Alison are going to appear. You can bet that Sid and Bobby will not get along very well. Yep, I decided to use Countess Fontaine as their handler. She was a character in the Nick Fury comics. Yeah, I remember that movie with David Hasselhoff. It wasn't that good, but I agree, Lisa Rinna made a great Valentina **(drools)**. Thunderbolt **accidentally** injured Freedom Force's last handler. And yeah, Freedom Force has no idea what kind of wildcard they have with Bobby. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! It shouldn't be too long now. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: todd fan owns the character appearing here. Anyway, here's your quote: "I've been a frickin' evil doctor for thirty frickin' years!" - Mike Myers as Dr. Evil, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery **

Chapter 10: Confrontation

**Outside the Staples Arena, ****Los Angeles**

The Staples Arena was a bustle with activity. Los Angeles was the latest stop on Dazzler's tour, and the fans came out in the thousands. One shadow was watching from the top of another building. The shadow wasn't really interested in the main event. He was more interested in the opening act. The shadow's yellow eyes narrowed.

**In a dressing room**

"Man, I am so excited for this!" Sidney Cagney grinned as she put on some light eye shadow.

"Yeah." Alison Blaire agreed, brushing her hair. Sidney and Ali had become good friends since Alison invited Sidney to tour with her. Sidney was becoming a very popular opening act. "No matter how many shows I do, I still get so excited before them." She noticed a letter next to Sidney. "Reading the latest news by your boyfriend, huh?"

"Yeah, he writes all the time. He's such a sweetie." Sidney grinned, reading the letter. "He talks about how much he misses me and he keeps me up on news." She read a part. "According to this, Xavier gave up the search for Drake."

"The ice-maker? Didn't he quit the X-Men?" Dazzler asked. Sidney nodded.

"Yeah. He just up and disappeared four months ago. Xavier was never able to find him." Sidney sighed. "Guy was nice, but he was so goofy."

"I never really got to meet him." Alison shrugged. "Anyway, I can't wait to meet my audience and sing my songs."

"Even though some people may find your musical styling a little…unappeasing." A voice said. Sid and Ali turned around and saw Ace Starr leaning on the far wall of the room, in costume, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Hello, ladies."

"Who are you?" Alison and Sidney asked. Ace produced a badge. "Starr. Ace Starr." The feral grinned in an English accent. "Personally, I prefer Van Halen and AC/DC to your stuff."

"To each, their own." Ali smiled.

"I'm from Freedom Force. We heard about your little mutant stalker problem." Ace replied. He walked to the door. "It's cool." The rest of Freedom Force walked in. The singers and the superheroes introduced themselves.

"Your manager asked for the best. He's really paranoid, isn't he?" Fontaine chuckled.

"Yeah, he is." Sidney agreed.

"So…" Terrell smirked at Alison. "You single, hot stuff?" Alison chuckled.

"I'm not much of a dater. Sorry." Ali smiled.

"Shot down again, Terrell!" John laughed.

"Shut up, Thunderbird!" Terrell snapped. Kyle pointed at Sidney.

"Hey!" The electrokinetic piped up. "The new guy says that you're a real alley cat." Sidney's eyes widened in shock.

_This guy reminds me of Jamie. Only a lot mouthier._ Sidney mentally noted. "New guy? Who? And why would he say I was an alley cat?"

"It fits." A familiar voice snarled. Sidney turned to the door. She at first didn't recognize the figure in the blue, white, and silver costume with the brown hair in a ponytail, but once he removed his blue glasses, Sidney immediately recognized him.

"Bobby?" Sidney asked.

"You got that right, Sidney Cagney." Bobby growled. "It's me."

_Where the heck has he been? And what's with the attitude?_ Sidney thought. "Bobby…where have you been these past few months?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Bobby sneered.

_Uh oh…_ Karma thought. _Bobby's been objecting to this whole thing and I think I can see why. He does **not** look happy to see her. Maybe they dated._

"Can I speak to you in private, Bobby?" Sidney asked, going outside.

"Fine by me." Bobby shrugged. The two mutants walked outside into another dressing room.

"What was _that_ all about?" Sidney hissed at Bobby. "Calling me an alley cat? What was that for?"

"It fit." Bobby sneered. "Think about it…" He started counting off on his fingers. "Todd, Duncan, Piotr, Morph, Todd again…man, you get around. Messing around with a few roadies on the side too?" Bobby smirked. It took every ounce of self-control Sidney had to avoid slashing Bobby right in the face.

"You've changed. In a lot of ways." Sidney noticed. "Where have you been? Xavier was looking for you for quite a long time."

"That cue-ball was looking for me?" Bobby snorted. "Oh, I guess he _does_ care then." Sidney could not believe it. Four months ago, a brokenhearted Bobby Drake disappeared off the face of the Earth in Bayville, and now she finds him here in LA, packing a very cold attitude.

"How'd you get so cold, Bobby?" Sidney asked. "It's because of Elizabeth, wasn't it? You left because of her." Bobby roared and threw an icicle into the wall.

"Don't you **_EVER_** mention that tramp's name around me!" Bobby roared. "I would've given that redneck wench the world, and she decides to go with Lucas Xavier, who just happens to be the entire population of Hoboken, New Jersey, all in one mind!" He formed a spike of ice. "If I ever lay eyes on her again…"

"Have you gone nuts?" Sidney wondered.

"A little bit." Bobby smirked. The smirk creeped Sidney out a little. "I kind of like it."

"What about the X-Men?" Sidney wondered. "They wondered where you went. Where were you?" Bobby's face turned back to stone.

"I don't need _them_ knowing where I am. And I don't need _anyone_ knowing where I have been." Bobby grumbled as he left the room. "As far as I am concerned…the X-Men are dead to me." The ice-maker left the room. Sidney blinked.

_Oh dear God…_ The feline girl said. _What did this to him? Why has he become so cold? And why do I get the feeling he's going to hurt somebody…and he'll not care?_

**_Next: The show starts, and an old enemy returns!_**


	11. Guess Who's Back!

**Black Ice**

_To Klinoa: Hey there Klinoa! Yeah, it does appear that __Sidney__ unintentionally hit a nerve during her talk with Bobby. I think that Bobby just may go further downhill from here. You'll recognize the enemy if you read todd fan's Sidney Chronicles. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Yeah, it wasn't very pretty between Sid and Bobby. I think as far as Bobby is concerned, __Sidney__ is dead to him, and he didn't need to see her again. I like to think that Bobby's becoming more of a psychopath. Either way, the boy is losing it. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I'm really glad that you like the direction I'm taking Iceman in. "To Err Is Human" provided the perfect opportunity to explore Bobby's dark side, and I'm surprised other authors aren't exploring this. Bobby's so one-dimensional in other fics. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy this new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read the new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff" as well as "Memories Are Made of This", and your new one-shots, "Confessions of a Former Wild Man", "You Gotta Be Kidding Me" and "Brotherhood TV Rides Again", and I loved them! Joes arguing, exploding pots, and insanity, oh my! Yeah, this story is getting wild. Will Bobby lose it completely? Who knows. I wouldn't be surprised, with the way he's been acting lately. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff" and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! You think I did a good job with __Sidney__? Thanks! I didn't want to mess up __Sidney__ too badly. I have trouble when it comes to personalities of other people's characters. I'm glad you think I did a good job with her. Yeah, she did touch a nerve there with Bobby. He just can't get a break. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", "Welcome to the __Enchanted __Land__", and "Little Shop of Mutants"!_

**Disclaimer: "I love Scotch. Scotchy scotch scotch." - Will Farrell as Ron Burgundy, Anchorman. And excerpts from "To Err Is Human" used with Todd Fan's permission.**

Chapter 11: Guess Who's Back!

**The Staples Arena, ****Los Angeles**

Sidney Cagney sat on a light box, thinking. She sighed and ran a hand through her black-and-white hair.

_What happened to him?_ Sidney pondered. _I heard that Bobby was angry about __Elizabeth__ but **this?** The way he acted toward me in that room…he was **seething** hatred and rage. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Bobby Drake scared me a little bit back there. How could he let himself get like this? It's like I was looking into the eyes of a man who'd snapped. Did these Freedom Force guys do this to him?_ She looked up and saw Karma walk by. _I'm gonna find out._ She walked over the Karma. "Karma, can I talk to you?"

"Call me Shan." Karma replied. "Is something wrong?"

"I want to talk to you." Sidney said simply. She narrowed her feline eyes at the mind-controller. "What did you Freedom Force guys do to Bobby?"

"Do to Bobby?" Shan blinked.

"Yeah, he wasn't always acting like this." Sidney said. "What happened to him?"

"We didn't do anything to Bobby, if that's what you're thinking." Shan replied. "I don't know. I'm not a mind-reader. I can control minds, and I don't like to use that power often. Brings bad memories." Sidney stared at Shan.

_She's not lying._ Sidney's instincts concluded. "I believe you."

"I wouldn't allow anything like that to happen to my team, Ms. Cagney." Shan said simply.

"It's Sidney." Sidney chuckled. "Do you have any idea how Bobby ended up so…cold? No pun intended or anything." Shan sighed and shook her head.

"I wish I knew." Shan answered. "Sunfire, Thunderbolt, and Thunderbird found him in the middle of Canada."

"_Canada_ What was he doing in Canada?" Sidney asked in shock.

"We don't really know. Bobby doesn't talk about what he's done since quitting the X-Men." Shan answered. "We've tried to ask him, but he clams up."

"I knew Bobby back when he was in the X-Men." Sidney nodded. "He was nice. He was a bit goofy, though. And he loved a good prank."

"He was a prankster?" Shan chuckled.

"Yeah, he was." Sidney smiled. "He was a master prankster. I guess that doesn't apply to him anymore."

"No, he spends a lot of his time brooding, sulking, and generally being alone. He only ever really talks to Ace." Shan chuckled.

"Ace kinds of reminds me of Bobby a little bit." Sidney chuckled. "He has that devil-may-care fun-loving aura about him."

"Yeah, Ace would rather play guitar than work." Shan chuckled.

"He's not a bad person, you know." Sidney said to Shan. "Could you keep an eye on him? The guy is hurting. I'm scared. I think he's on the verge of going crazy, if he's not there already."

"I know." Shan nodded. "I wish I could do something. Talk to Ace. He's the only one of us Bobby really talks to. But he won't talk to Ace about his feelings either. He's so angry, and it shows." Shan let out a sigh. "I am worried about him. He does seem a little…off."

"Off? When I mentioned Elizabeth, he nearly impaled me in the head with an icicle!" Sidney exclaimed.

"Who's Elizabeth?" Shan blinked. Sidney sighed.

"Elizabeth Guthrie." Sidney explained. "She was this girl Bobby liked. Turned out she liked someone else. She had no idea how Bobby felt about her…"

**_Begin Flashback_**

That done, she glanced down at Lucas worriedly as he groaned, getting shakily to his feet, rubbing his head.

"That's gunnae hurt in the morning", he muttered, looking up at Lizzie, giving her a smile, "Thanks."

"You okay?" She asked gently.

"Aye, I'm fine", he said, waving her off, "Go on, I'll be okay".

Lizzie gave him another glance before nodding, starting off after a few footsoldiers.

From the sidelines, Bobby watched this with a frown. It was bad enough that she'd abandoned the team to fight on Lucas's side, but she'd gone after Lucas? Of all people, _Lucas?_ He narrowed his eyes, he would have happily done backflips for her, and yet she'd chosen HIM? Bobby clenched his fists as he tried to ignore the feeling of failure, hurt and anger boiling in his gut. But it couldn't be ignored that easily. He flicked out his hands, icing the ground beneath her feet.

"What the…?", said Lizzie, before giving a yelp, slipping along the icy path, falling on her back, before finally stopping just before the cliff edge. She let out a sigh of relief, before blinking as the entire surface she was sitting on become solid ice. Lucas turned his head, watching wide-eyed as the ice began to crack under her large size.

"Amazon! Power down! NOW!" He shouted. Lizzie did as she was told, resuming her original state. But it was too late, the ice gave way underneath her, and she vanished down the cliff side in a flurry of white.

"ELIZABETH!"

**_End Flashback_**

Shan's jaw dropped.

"Were you there?" The Vietnamese girl asked. Sidney nodded.

"No, but I heard about it." Sidney nodded. "I never saw or heard of that side of Bobby before. I never could imagine him doing something so vicious."

"So that would explain it…" Karma closed her eyes. "Did she…"

"No, she made it, but she ended up miscarrying a child she never knew she was carrying." Sidney sighed. "Bobby left after that."

"I can't believe he'd do something like that."

"Well, seeing how he is now, I wouldn't be surprised." Sidney nodded. "Keep an eye on him, Shan." Sidney said. "I'm afraid he may hurt somebody or hurt himself. And based on how he acted when I talked to him and how he talked…he just may end up enjoying it."

**Dazzler's dressing room**

"Man, I can't believe she turned Terrell down. And the Thunderbolt thought he was a ladies' man." Kyle joked at John. The two mutants snickered.

"I told him. I'm not much of a dater." Ali chuckled. "I have no idea who is stalking me and Sid. But then again, in my business, I tend to get that a lot."

"The Thunderbolt says your songs stink." Kyle wrinkled his nose. Ali rolled her eyes.

"Not a pop fan, huh?"

"The Thunderbolt prefers rock." Kyle said. A knocking was heard at the door. Loud screaming in Japanese was heard, accompanied by the sound of somebody hitting someone on the head with a big heavy book.

"Okay, Mr. Sakano." Dazzler called out. "That's our manager."

"You mean _that_ was the Japanese jabroni that kept smacking himself with the book? Pfft! What a retard!" Kyle scoffed.

"He ain't retarded. The guy's just high-strung, man." John grumbled. They heard an announcement.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Los Angeles is proud to present to you, America's newest singing sensation, Sidney Cagney!" Cheers here heard. Alison whooped.

"Come on!" Ali grabbed the two mutants. "I want to see her sing!"

"Lame…" Both boys complained. The blonde lightengale dragged the two to the stage, where Sidney was singing. The cat-girl was dressed in a green glittery outfit, and she was singing wonderfully. The song went well, until…

**_CRASH!_**

A winged figure crashed through the ceiling, causing the moviegoers to scream and scatter in fright. Sidney's eyes widened.

"Oh dear God, no! Not…not _you!_" Sidney exclaimed as the figure landed in front of her. She immediately recognized the red-clad figure with the long blonde hair and catlike eyes.

"'Ello, love. Miss me?" Pickles smirked.

**_Next: Freedom Force vs. Pickles!_**


	12. Hold The Pickles, Please!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yes, the mystery villain is Pickles, a classic todd fan villain. He wanted her hand at first, now he wants to kill her (Like someone we know). This will be a chance to see how Bobby is able to fight with a team now, especially one he's none too experienced with. As for the conversation between Shan and Sid, I think Shan will keep Sid's advice to heart. I think Shan will keep an eye on Bobby. Freedom Force has ways of masking their powers from Cerebro's detection, so you won't see the X-Men for a while. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yep, Pickles has arrived on the scene. And thanks for the info on Pickles's powers. It really helped! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Tales From the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Klinoa: Hey there Klinoa! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Actually, in Pickles' last appearance, Pickles was attacked by Storm when she got her powers back after admitting her feelings for Forge. She sent him flying with a tornado, I believe. He hadn't been seen since. As for his brothers and sister, they won't be appearing. It's just Pickles by himself. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, it had to be Pickles. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, the fight has just begun! Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Baby baby, let me sleep on it." - Meat Loaf, from the song "****Paradise**** By The Dashboard Light"**

Chapter 12: Hold The Pickles, Please!

**The Staples Arena, ****Los Angeles**

"That's right, love. You remembered me." Pickles smirked. "I'm overjoyed. Most celebrities forget about those they knew before they became famous."

"What do you want, Pickles?" Sidney snarled.

"Why, I merely came to finish the old business that existed between us." Pickles shrugged.

"_YAAAAAAAAAAAH!_" Thunderbird charged at Pickles out of nowhere. The Apache mutant powerhouse smashed hard into Pickles with a shoulder charge, knocking the artificial mutant off the stage.

"Get him to change shape!" Sidney yelled as Freedom Force went to attack. "He has two weaknesses: His wings in human form, and he loses his invulnerability if he changes into a feline form!"

"How do you know this?" Fontaine asked. Sidney growled.

"Because _my_ DNA was used to create him."

"Come. We must-"

"No offense Contessa, I know you're just doing your job, but I fight my own battles." Sidney said respectfully. "I'm not afraid of Pickles. I've fought him before."

"And I got chained up by the Hellfire Club once." Dazzler added. "This is nothing." Dazzler and Sidney ran to join the battle. Fontaine noticed something.

"Where is Iceman?" Fontaine wondered. Meanwhile, Pickles snarled at his new opponents.

"New friends, dearest Sidney?" Pickles smirked.

"You talk too much, jabroni!" Kyle fired a thunder blast. "Time for a whuppin'!" The thunder blast bounced of Pickles' skin, making him laugh. Terrell raced around him at super speed, pounding away at him with super hard punches. Sidney roared as she turned into a lioness. She and Ace pounced on Pickles and started trying to slash away at him. Pickles took out Velocity with a clothesline, and then quickly took to the air, Sidney and Ace still on him. The artificial mutant roared and threw the two ferals off him. He found himself dodging jets of fiery plasma and streams of thunder, not to mention laser beams coming at him from below. Pickles snarled as he saw Sunfire and Thunderbolt fly behind him and Dazzler racing after him on roller skates.

"You bloody fools don't know when to quit, huh?" Pickles smirked.

"You cannot defeat Freedom Force that easily, monster!" Sunfire yelled.

"And I'm no slouch either!" Alison grumbled, letting loose laser beams. Pickles flew down to the ground and smashed it with a hammer blow, creating a fissure that knocked the rest of Freedom Force off their feet.

"Where is Bobby?" Sidney screeched. Pickles raised an eyebrow.

"Bobby? Bobby who?"

"**_ME!_**" A voice roared. Out of nowhere, Pickles got pelted by ice spikes. Out of the shadows, Bobby walked out in his new Iceman form. He basically looked like himself sheathed in ice. Small spikes of ice decorated his shoulders and ringed around his lower arms. His knuckles and the backs of his hands were also decorated with small icy spikes. "Hello, Pickles. Remember me?"

"Where did you go?" Karma exclaimed. Bobby smirked.

"I was busy." Bobby smirked simply. Pickles blinked.

"I remember you…" Pickles blinked. "Yeah…you're one of the X-Men!" Bobby's face contorted in rage.

"_I…AM…**NOT…AN…X-MAN!**_" Bobby roared, pointing his hands out at Pickles. A blizzard erupted from Bobby's hands. The blizzard smashed Pickles hard, sending him flying through the wall of the arena into the parking lot. Bobby's face formed a creepy grin as he created an ice slide to chase after Pickles. "Oh Piiiiiicklllllles…come out and playyyy-yayyyyy…" Bobby chanted as he went after the artificial mutant. Ali, Sidney, and Freedom Force blinked at that. Shan gulped.

_I'm beginning to think __Sidney__ may have a point._ Shan mentally gulped. _I don't like the way Bobby was grinning when he fought that thing. I think I really **do** need to keep an eye on him. I think he and I are going to have a talk about this._ Bobby chased after Pickles, psychotic grin still on his face. Pickles snarled as he got to his feet.

"Think you're a little powerhouse, huh?" Pickles smirked. Bobby chuckled.

"You have no idea, Pennies." Bobby smirked. "You owe me a rematch, Buckles. This time, I don't need the X-Men." Bobby wasn't screwing up Pickles' name because he forgot the artificial mutant's name. He was screwing up Pickles' name to anger the artificial mutant. Pickles roared in rage.

"I am going to **gut** you for that, mate!" Pickles charged the cold-hearted ice-making mutant. Bobby smirked. The ice-maker dodged Pickles' strike, and stabbed an icicle through Pickles' wing, making the artificial mutant scream. "NEEEAAAARGH!"

"Awww, whadda madda? Did I bweak your pwecious widdle wing?" Bobby cooed mockingly. He then started cackling. "That was just one part, pal. Now…I'm gonna break the rest of you, heh heh heh." The ice-maker's face unleashed a psychotic grin. He looked like a cat in a room full of mice. _Heh__ heh, Pickles is the first._ The rest of Freedom Force, Sidney, Dazzler, and Fontaine watched Bobby and Pickles brawl in shock.

"Wow…" Dazzler blinked. "Sid…was Bobby Drake ever like this?" Sidney shook her head.

"No." Sidney shook her head, squeaking. "He was never like this. He was a goofball."

"Man, and you guys say **I** enjoy fights too much." Thunderbird blinked. "Ice-boy acts like he's addicted or something."

"The Thunderbolt says he's got some issues." Kyle blinked.

_Sidney__ **definitely** has a point. I think I am **really** going to have to keep an eye on Bobby._ Shan thought.

_Oh God…_ Sidney mentally worried. _Bobby's almost like an animal. Not the same way I am, of course. What has he allowed himself to become? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm starting to think that I'm starting to feel sympathy for Pickles. That lunatic has no idea what he's getting himself into._

"Come on, Pickles." Bobby taunted with his mad grin still in place. "Let's see what the big bad genetic freak has got. Although I doubt its much." Pickles snarled, morphed into his feline form, and leapt at Iceman.

**_Next: Iceman vs. Pickles!_**


	13. Cold Pickles!

**Black Ice**

_To Klinoa: Hey there, Klinoa! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I agree with you. Bobby seriously does need an anger management class. Actually, for him, I think fighting Pickles **is** going to be an anger management thing. Bobby has gotten a lot of pent-up rage within him in the past four months, and he's **desperate** to unleash it on somebody. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Nice to hear from you again, my friend! Oh yeah, Pickles should definitely know. If you don't want to enrage Bobby any more than he already is, he shouldn't talk about Elizabeth or the X-Men around him. Let's just say Bobby doesn't…think very nicely about them. You bet the fight with Pickles is going to be good. I could imagine Bobby pulling out a reference to "The Warriors". I think of Iceman vs. Pickles as more of a "__Battle__ of the Psychos"-type deal. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: I read the new chapter of "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout" and I loved it! Yeah, Dougal is a prankster. I loved seeing him freak out at the end. He got what he deserved. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I hope you enjoy the battle between Bobby and Pickles! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", "Slugs and Snails", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! Oh yeah, let the battle begin! I'm really glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read more great stories from you, especially new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff". You know, I just may do a Misfit version of "Valor vs. Venom" myself, if I can find where I can get a synopsis…_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Yeah, Bobby's angry. He's very bitter. He does feel like he was betrayed. He also feels disillusioned. He's also in pain. Bobby's new angry persona is just that. A persona. Bobby feels like everyone he ever cared about betrayed him. His family dumped him at the Institute. He became the moronic prankster of the X-Men. A girl he liked fell in love with an enemy of the X-Men and joined up with him. He lashed out in rage, unintentionally hurting her in a bad way. As a result, his best friend, who was the girl's brother, angrily snaps at him without giving Bobby a chance to explain himself. And to top it all off, the girl's boyfriend attacks him and nearly kills him. I think it flipped a switch in Bobby's head and triggered something in his psyche. He ran away, and that switch started to affect his mind. In essence, a series of unfortunate events caused Bobby Drake to snap, and without someone to stand by him and help him, he got worse. Hopefully, someone can find a way to get through to him and say to him that it wasn't his fault. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I ate his liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti." - Sir Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Silence of the Lambs**

Chapter 13: Cold Pickles!

**The Staples Arena, ****Los Angeles****California**

Pickles, a crazed artificial mutant who was created from a combination of DNA from the X-Man Wolverine, aka Logan, and the Brotherhood members Blob, aka Fred Dukes, and Octavia, aka Sidney Cagney, lunged at a psychotically-grinning Iceman, aka Robert Drake. Bobby's face formed a mad smirk. He hooked his hands together and formed a mallet head made of ice around them.

"You are a _BAD **KITTY!**_" Bobby roared, swinging his arms around. The icy hammer head shattered on contact with the feline Pickles's head. The blow sent a roaring Pickles flying into a van, smashing the door. Bobby's fists glowed a light blue as large icy fists the size of small televisions formed around them. With a cry like a bloodthirsty monster, Bobby charged Pickles as he returned to his human form. The ice-powered mutant started wailing on the artificial super-mutant with punches to the head and gut that created thunderous booms.

"My God! Bobby's really wailing on him, isn't he? Use your left! Use your left!" Ace cheered.

"Yeah! Take it to that jabroni, Iceman!" Kyle leapt up and punched the air. "Yeah!" He and Ace hi-fived. "Whooooo! The Thunderbolt likes this guy already!" Shiro's eyes narrowed at Bobby under his Sunfire mask.

_I can tell that this Iceman possesses an amazing amount of power._ Shiro mentally noted. _The way he fights…he fights to torture opponents. His every move oozes rage and bitterness. He obviously is not concerned with defeating this…Pickles. He obviously is more concerned with settling a personal score…_

"Oh yeah!" John grinned. He punched Terrell's arm, making him yell out. "Did you see that punch? That was _great!_ This is better than Rocky!"

"Good for you. Glad _you're_ enjoying it." Terrell grumbled, rubbing his arm.

"Get off me, you overgrown popsicle!" Pickles yelled, kicking Bobby of him. The ice-maker skidded down the parking lot. Pickles picked up the car he was smashed against. "You're dead, Iceman!" He threw the car. Bobby's fists glowed and his arms now ended in the blades of ice swords. The ice-maker leapt up and slashed the car in two. He landed on the ground and the two pieces of the car landed behind him.

"I've heard of cutting costs, but that's a bit much, isn't it Shan?" Ace snickered lightly to Shan. "Shan? Shan? Yooo-hooo…Shannyyyyyyy?" Ace waved his hand in front of Shan's face and he started snapping his fingers. Shan was completely ignorant of Ace's attempts to get her attention. She was too busy watching the battle.

_I have never seen a man fight so ferociously._ Shan mused. _He fights with anger. It's like he's a time bomb. I'm going to have to be careful with him._

"Nice try, Pickles." Bobby smirked. "That was real original." Pickles ripped out a light pole.

"I'm a sucker for the classics." Pickles chuckled. "I'm sure you would appreciate this classic move!" Pickles swung the pole like a baseball bat, but to his surprise, the icy Bobby caught it! "What?" Bobby smirked.

"I hope you like my little modification." Bobby smirked evilly. The pole started to freeze, and the ice that covered the pole crawled up Pickles's arm and froze his arm up to the shoulder.

"WHAT THE?" Pickles yelled. "The pole! It's stuck to me arm!"

"Ain't _that_ something?" Bobby cackled. He jumped up on the pole, slid down it, and nailed Pickles in the mouth with a hard kick. The artificial mutant started to stumble backwards. "VELOCITY!" Bobby yelled. "I want a tornado! A big one! One powerful enough to lift this piece of trash into the air! NOW!"

"Do as he says!" Shan ordered. Terrell nodded and his eyes glowed white. Pickles yelled as the air around him started spinning around and around. Soon, the tornado grew big enough and the winds inside moved fast enough to lift Pickles into the air.

"Not again! Not again!" Pickles screamed **(1)**.

"THUNDERBOLT! DAZZLER! SUNFIRE!" Bobby yelled. "GET OVER HERE AND BLAST THIS GUY WITH EVERYTHING YOU GOT!"

"**Now** you're talking!" Kyle grinned. He took to the air in a field of electrical power. Sunfire grabbed Dazzler in his arms and he took off. The three mutants flew towards the tornado. "Eat lightning, jabroni!" Kyle yelled as he ripped out a stream of electrical power. Pickles screamed from within the tornado. Sunfire followed with a strong jet of fiery plasma, and Dazzler continued the assault with a laser. Bobby finished with a freeze beam from his hand. Pickles's screaming stopped.

"Cut the tornado!" Bobby yelled. Terrell did so. The tornado dispersed and Pickles fell down to the ground in a slab of ice. Bobby smirked. "Stupid pathetic piece of trash. Just like the rest of them."

**The Staples Arena, a little while later**

Contessa Fontaine was working with a group of SHIELD Agents on how to extract and take Pickles away.

"What'll happen to Pickles?" Sidney asked.

"He'll be somewhere where he won't get at you again." Shan nodded.

"Hey, thanks for the honorary memberships, fella." Alison grinned at Terrell.

"No problem." Terrell smiled.

"You know, I think I just may have changed my mind on dating." Ali grinned. "Maybe you'd like to go out to a club with me sometime." With a whoop, Terrell fell to his knees, and put his hands up into the air, looking up at the ceiling.

"THANK YOU!" Terrell whooped.

"She'll break your heart, Terrell. Women enjoy doing that. I should know." Bobby said from the corner where he was brooding. He snorted and walked out of the room. "I'm sick and tired of this love-fest. It makes me sick." Bobby started to walk down the hall.

"Wait!" Bobby turned and saw Lila run up to him. "What was _that_ all about?"

"Just giving a warning to Terrell." Bobby smirked.

"What makes you say that Alison will break his heart?" Lila crossed her arms. "That wasn't cool! This is Terrell's dream!"

"It won't last. She'll throw him out like a piece of garbage and laugh." Bobby sneered. "That happened to me once. This girl I liked took my heart, spit on it, and then threw it in a landfill."

"So a girl dumped you for another guy! That happens all the time! That doesn't give you the right to go around saying stuff like women enjoy doing that!" Lila snapped. Bobby clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "What's gotten into you?"

"I'm just sick." Bobby stomped off.

"Sick? Sick of what? Bobby! Sick of what?" Lila yelled, trying to get his attention. "Bobby! Come back here! _Bobby!_"

**(1) - In "Thicker Than Water", Storm sent Pickles flying in a combination of a tornado and a lightning blast**

**_Next: Aftermath!_**


	14. Aftermath!

**Black Ice**

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again, my friend! Yeah, I thought it would be nice to reward Terrell with a date with the Dazzler. After all, he did play a big part in the defeat of Pickles. Bobby's still angry. He got to take out some of his rage on Pickles, but he's still mad. In his mind, his anger will never end, and he will never find any form of peace until he gets his vengeance. Poor guy's hurting and he won't talk about it. He's allowed his rage to grow, and it's darkened him in a huge way. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new one!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I wanted to include some of Freedom Force in the fight. Most of it was Bobby's fight anyway. Yeah, I thought Terrell deserved a date with Alison. Shan should worry. If Bobby doesn't get help soon…well, there may be nothing left of the old Bobby. Bobby's situation is…complex. He is crying out for help, but at the same time, he doesn't want to open up. He's had his heart broken before, and he feels very betrayed, so you can bet Bobby will feel very reluctant to open himself up to anyone. He doesn't really feel he can trust anybody right now. I have a reason for Lila's concern. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! I read the new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Little Shop of Mutants", and I loved them! Wombat boys and love songs. No better combination, tf. None better. Yeah, I can imagine that Pickles will have issues with hurricanes and lightning. Just because they can't hurt him doesn't mean he can't be afraid of them. Yeah, Bobby needs someone to talk to. All he wanted was just for Sam to hear him out. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", "Slugs and Snails", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, I do agree with you. Shan does appear to have some reason to worry. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for the new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"!_

**Disclaimer: "The champ is here!" - John Cena**

Chapter 14: Aftermath!

**The ****Staples****Center, ****Los Angeles**

"Sick of what? Bobby!" Lila yelled as she ran down the hall. Bobby was walking fast, trying to get away from her. "Bobby! Come back here!"

"Leave me alone, Cheney!" Bobby yelled. "I am in no mood for this garbage!"

"What garbage?" Lila exclaimed.

"_That!_" Bobby pointed behind Lila. "Seeing Terrell make eyes at that cheap wench Blaire? Why can't he see it?"

"See what, Bobby?" Lila crossed her arms.

"She doesn't like him!" Bobby yelled in exasperation. "She only feels sorry for that pathetic windbag! She doesn't care! Why am I the only one who can see that? Why am **I** the only one with any **_sense_** around here?" Bobby huffed.

"I think it's rather nice. Terrell's a nice guy. Sure he's got a bit of a wandering eye, but he's got a good heart." Lila defended. Bobby huffed.

"A heart." Bobby's voice laced with venom when he said those words. "That explains it. He lets his heart do the thinking. He's a fool. It'll only lead to disaster. I should know."

"Having a heart is not a bad thing, Bobby." Lila told the ice-maker. "Don't you believe in romance or anything like that? I may be a rocker chick, but even I have a sense of it."

"Romance?" Bobby blinked. "That's an illusion, Lila. There's no such thing. I gave my heart once, and it got stomped on."

"Really."

"I learned that day that I had no need for my heart!" Bobby snapped. "I have my powers. That's all I need. I don't need friends. I don't need my heart. I have power." Bobby's eyes and fist glowed a light blue, as if they were making a point.

"Didn't you ever have friends, Bobby?" Lila asked. Bobby scowled.

"I thought I did. Once." Iceman replied, his voice not wavering. "But I was wrong. I was betrayed." Lila looked at Bobby's brown eyes.

"Your eyes…" Lila said. "There's no sparkle." She saw a gleam in those eyes. A gleam of a man who was full of rage. "Your eyes say that you're cold."

"I am an Iceman. I should be cold." Bobby smirked.

"Bobby…you don't need to be so angry." Lila reassured. "I can tell you're angry at Sidney. Why?"

"None of your business." Bobby snarled.

"Were you two together?" Lila asked. Bobby laughed.

"_Me?_ With **that** fleabag Cagney? You're _joking!_" Bobby laughed. "She's into frog guys. She's just a stupid old cat." Bobby brushed past Lila. His laughter faded.

"I saw into your eyes, Bobby." Lila told him. "You've got a lot of rage. And you seem to focus on Sidney. If you weren't dating, then why be angry at her? What did she do to you?"

"You really want to know?" Bobby turned his head to her. "She's guilty. Guilty by association." Bobby stormed off.

_Guilty?__ Guilty of what?_ Lila puzzled. She shook her head sadly. _Man, I go out to that guy. It's not fair._ She shook her head. _What happened to him? Why is he so bitter? He must've been a good person at some point._

"Hey, chica! It's time to fiesta!" Rictor ran into the hall, whooping. He blinked at Bobby. "What's with King of Rage over there?" He called out to Bobby. "Yo Iceman! Come on, man! We're celebrating Pickles getting whooped! You did a lot of the work, man!" Bobby stopped and turned his head.

"There's nothing to celebrate. I was just doing a job." Bobby replied. "I'm not much of a partier." He turned his head back and walked off. He felt a piece of rolled up paper hit him in the back of the head. The ice-making mutant turned around sharply, his face indicating he was in a foul mood.

"Party time, amigo!" Rictor whooped, blowing into a noisemaker. Bobby growled.

"I'm gonna kill you, you little-!" Bobby ran toward Rictor, intent on throttling the Hispanic sonic generator. The Mexican-born mutant razzed the ice-maker, and then ran off laughing. "Come _back_ here, you little rock-tumbling punk rock wannabe!" Bobby roared as he raced after a laughing Rictor. The young mutant ran into the room where the post-concert party was being held. Bobby ran into the room.

"Hey Bobby, you okay?" Shan asked when she noticed Bobby run into the room. "You seem on edge."

"I'm fine. I just gotta go pound a certain rock-tumbler to paste." Bobby grumbled.

"Bobby, I want to talk to you." Shan dragged the protesting ice-maker outside.

"What did I do?" Bobby snapped, pulling his arm away.

"I just want to talk to you about the battle with Pickles." Shan said evenly. "I want to talk to you about how you fought him."

"I beat him. That's all that matters." Bobby grumbled. "I put him through the wringer."

"That's fine and all, but it's just…I'm worried." Shan replied. "The way you acted when you fought him…it was like you were out for blood. You weren't fighting to stop Pickles. You wanted to torture him."

"Shan, I've fought Pickles." Bobby countered. "I fought him in the X-Men. He's a lunatic. He has no heart or soul. He wants to kill Sidney…as well as everyone else on the planet. He deserves to get his artificial butt in permafrost."

"Bobby…you fought like an animal." Shan told Iceman. "You fought like you were taking your rage out on him. You can't fight like that, Drake. Your rage will cloud your judgment and probably get you killed!"

"I'm _not_ afraid of _anything!_" Bobby snapped.

"Bobby, I know you're angry. You have to let this anger go. If you don't…it'll eat you up." Shan advised.

"Thanks for the advice, Shan." Bobby said icily. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Bobby…let it go." Shan told the ice-maker. "Please. We just want to help. Just let it go. If you don't…you'll go nuts." Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah." He muttered under his breath.

**_Next: A Date with the Dazzler!_**


	15. Getting Ready!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Lila and Shan should be worried. Bobby's part of a team, and they can't help but worry. Emotionally, Robert Drake is a wreck. Bobby's crying for help, but he doesn't realize it. He thinks he's undergone a transformation for the better. I thought that that scene with Rictor would be good for a few laughs. Yup, Terrell and Ali are going out for a night of fun! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I have to admit, todd fan and her muses can cause a lot of trouble, Bobby. Poor old Bobby has a lot of demons haunting him right now. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I agree. Bobby does need to chill out and calm down. It's not healthy to be in the state he's in. He'll go off the deep end, alright. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Lila was trying to get through to Bobby. Her heart does go out to him. She has been betrayed herself and she knows what it's like to feel betrayed. Is there any hope for Bobby? Who knows. One can hope. I hope so myself. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read more from you!_

**Disclaimer: "You do realize that Snausages are dog treats, right?" - Me**

Chapter 15: Getting Ready!

**Freedom Force HQ**

Terrell Mason, the Compton-born aerokinetic and speedster codenamed Velocity, stood in front of a tall mirror in his room, admiring himself. He was dressed in a black shirt with the top button undone, a black jacket, and black slacks. His room was decorated with posters of various basketball heroes, and even had a small hoop on his closet door. His bedspread was decorated with various NBA logos, and his wastebasket had a hoop on it as well.

"Man, I'm stylin'!" Terrell grinned. He checked his communicator watch. The face displayed '7:45 pm'. "Oh man, I'm nervous!" He breathed. "Ali's meeting me at 8:00."

"You're getting a date with the Dazzler." A voice snarled. Terrell turned and saw Bobby leaning at the doorway, scowling. He was dressed in a dark blue t-shirt, black jeans, and he also had on a new black trenchcoat. "How…disgustingly sweet."

"Oh look, it's Bobby Drake, the man who has to rain on everyone's parade." Terrell rolled his eyes.

_You have no idea._ Bobby said mentally. "Was that a threat?"

"Hey man, what's with the bad attitude?" Terrell asked. Bobby scoffed.

"What bad attitude?" Bobby's eyes narrowed and started to glow a light blue.

"_That_ bad attitude." Terrell answered. "I heard some of the stuff you said, man. That wasn't cool."

"I only said the truth." Bobby responded flatly. "You do this, and you _will_ be hurt, Velocity. You're acting like a domino right now: You're setting yourself up so the Dazzler can push you down."

"Yo, why the hate-on for Alison? What's she done to you?" Terrell snapped.

"It's not Alison. It's women in general." Bobby grumbled. "They're naturally deceitful and self-centered. They _enjoy_ making guys suffer and beg. I'm warning you Mason, stop this before you get hurt. I made the same mistake you did." Bobby walked away. "I listened to my heart." Terrell watched Bobby walk away.

_Man, that boy is messed up._ Terrell thought as he checked his watch. He nervously walked out into the HQ's common room. He found the other members of Freedom Force sitting around waiting for him.

"Looking good, Terrell!" Lila winked from an armchair. "That Blaire girl is going to be wowed."

"But of course." Terrell smirked, assuming a dignified pose.

"If she still has use for him." Bobby muttered. He was sulking in a dark corner of the room.

"Do you ever have anything positive to say?" Kyle said to Bobby from the couch.

"You want your mouth frozen?" Bobby threatened.

"Knock it off, you two." Shan ordered. "You look rather good, Terrell."

"Man, you got a date with Dazzler, 'mano. Not much of a fan of her music, but the gal is nice to look at." Rictor chuckled.

"Yeah." Kyle agreed. "She's alright…for a girl."

"Hey!" Shan and Lila exclaimed in faux indignation.

"Be careful, Terrell." Fontaine advised. "Keep on your watch. Contact us if you need help."

"It's a date, not a mission Contessa." Terrell chuckled. "I don't think I'll need help."

"With your track record, The Thunderbolt thinks that you should call Ace for any advice." Kyle quipped.

"Good one!" John cheered. The large Apache and the Bostonian hi-fived.

"Very funny." Terrell grumbled.

"What's the plan?" Ace asked, very curious.

"I'm going to meet her in front of that nice French restaurant." Terrell smirked. "Girls love French stuff. Reeks of class."

"No kidding." Kyle grumbled.

"I hope you remember everything I told you, Velocity." Ace reminded.

"Ah, don't worry, Ace." Terrell waved it off. "With the tips you gave me, I'm sure I'll give the Dazzler a night she'll never forget!"

"He's going to come home with a big fat red slap mark on his face. I just know it." Bobby grumbled.

"Thank you for the commentary, Robert Cosell." Thunderbird mocked. Bobby growled, the glow of his eyes getting bright as he turned to John.

"You want some of me, Proudstar?" Bobby growled.

"It was just a joke!" John exclaimed in self-defense, holding up his hands. "You really need to calm down, man Yipe!" The Apache mutant barely managed to dodge an icicle that an angry Bobby pitched at him. The icicle got embedded into the couch. "Geez! You psycho or something, man? You could've made me into shish kabob!"

"That…wasn't…FUNNY!" Bobby yelled. "I _hate_ it when people make jokes at my expense!"

"Bobby, watch that temper!" Shan snapped.

"You think it's funny when people make jokes about you, Proudstar?" Bobby snapped.

"Only if they don't mean to anger me, Drake!" John snapped back. Ace, Shan, and Lila moved to get between Bobby and John before fists could be thrown.

"Well, this night has grown…interesting." Shiro said to no one in particular. He was sitting on an armchair, reading a novel. He hadn't looked up the entire time.

"Calm down, Drake!" Shan ordered. After a minute, Iceman went back to the dark corner and continued to sulk.

"What in the…?" Terrell shook his head. "I'd better get out of here before I get impaled or something." Terrell zipped out of the house. He raced into the city, zipping through town and leaping over cars. He reached his destination just in time. He stood in front of the restaurant.

"Waiting for someone, sir?" The valet asked. Terrell nodded. He checked his watch.

"7:59 pm." Terrell smirked. "Once again, the ever-spectacular Velocity beats the clock." A limousine pulled up in front of the restaurant. The chauffeur ran out and opened the door. "Holy God…" Alison Blaire, the mutant singer known as the Dazzler, stepped out. Terrell whistled impressively. The singer was wearing a slinky, yet classy, glittery red dress. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she had some lipstick and mascara.

"I'm impressed, Velocity." Dazzler chuckled. "You sure do clean up nicely." Terrell smiled and bowed.

"And you look quite ravishing yourself, Miss Blaire." Terrell said smoothly, kissing Alison's hand. The lightengale looked quite flattered.

"I never knew you were such a gentleman, Terrell." Dazzler chuckled. She offered her arm. Terrell took her arm and they walked in the restaurant.

**Freedom Force HQ**

"Is everyone ready?" Ace asked from the driver's seat of his blue Ferrari. Lila was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. Kyle and Rictor were in the back.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Lila grinned. "That is…if we don't get caught."

"He's going to kill us if he does." Rictor groaned.

"Yeah, yeah! We're all ready! Let's do this already, jabroni!" Kyle snapped. The feral mutant shrugged and started up his car.

**_Next: My Date with A Dazzler!_**


	16. My Date With A Dazzler!

**Black Ice**

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, it sure is difficult to review sometimes. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, this date is going to be a lot of fun. As for Bobby taking on all of Freedom Force, that just may happen down the line, considering the vengeful ice-maker's current mental state. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yes, this chapter is going to be very interesting. The date with Terrell and Alison should be a lot of fun. Let's see, Kyle, Rictor, Lila, and Ace following…actually, Ace is going because he doesn't trust anyone else driving his car. Bobby has kind of evolved into a darker character, hasn't he? I viewed this as a logical evolution of Bobby's character after the events of "To Err Is Human". Bobby does care about Terrell's date with Alison because he doesn't want Terrell to end up like him: Bitter and broken-hearted. I wouldn't be surprised if a fight **did** break out at Freedom Force HQ sometime soon. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "It's like Hell's waiting room." - Cheech Marin on ****Texas****'s climate, The Original Latin Kings of Comedy**

Chapter 16: My Date With A Dazzler!

**The restaurant**

Terrell Mason, the Compton-born mutant speedster, aerokinetic, and Freedom Force member codenamed Velocity, walked into the restaurant alongside his date. His date was Alison Blaire, the lightengale known as the Dazzler **(A/N: Dazzler was known as a lightengale in the 1980s comics. The classification is a pun on the singing bird known as the nightingale, and the fact that Dazzler can absorb sound and convert it to light)**.

"Allow me." Terrell said when he took Alison to a table. He zipped over to the other side and pulled the chair out for her.

"Who knew you were such a gentleman?" Alison said, obviously impressed.

"Just because I'm from the streets, that don't mean I don't know how to treat a lady right." Terrell smirked. Meanwhile, outside the window, Rictor, Lila, and Kyle were watching the date.

"Man, look at that." Lila whistled. "All those fancy clothes and fancy food…definitely not my thing. Just give me McDonalds, and I'm one happy mutant."

"You Americans sure know how to live." Rictor agreed.

"By the way, why did Ace come with us?" Kyle blinked. "He didn't want to spy on the date."

"We needed his car, and Ace doesn't let _anyone_ behind the wheel of his car." Lila replied. "Besides, I'm sure ol' Wildstar has found a way to amuse himself. He always does."

**The parking lot of the restaurant**

A certain blue Ferrari was parked in the restaurant's parking lot.

"Zzzzzzzz…" Ace Starr snoozed in the front seat, while his car's radio was playing the Scorpions. "Zzzzzzz…heh heh…zzzzz…I beheaded Britney Spears…I saved rock…zzzzzzz…"

**The restaurant**

Terrell and Alison sat down at a table, reading their menus. Velocity never really heard a lot of French, and he was looking quite comical when he turned the menu in various directions, in an attempt to figure out how to read it.

"Man, how do these Frenchies read this stuff?" Terrell muttered, turning the menu around quicker and quicker.

"It is their language, Terrell." Alison shrugged. "They probably are used to it."

"The only French I know is kissing in French." Terrell sighed. Alison laughed.

"That's pretty funny." Alison smiled. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you a hand with ordering. You've been such a gentleman so far, so you deserve it." Outside, Rictor, Kyle, and Lila continued their watching.

"The Thunderbolt would like to know, why are we here?" Kyle grumbled. "Terrell's on a roll so far, and I doubt even _he_ could screw this up."

"Yeah, man. Even Terrell can't strike out forever when it comes to the senoritas." Rictor agreed. "Why _are_ we here?"

"I'm bored." Lila shrugged.

"But why did you drag _us_ into it?" Kyle groaned. "Rictor and I weren't bored."

"Yeah, you were. You were snoozing on the couch, Rictor. And Kyle was throwing a tennis ball against the wall, complaining about having nothing to do." Lila smirked. Rictor glared at Kyle.

"You and your big mouth, man." The Mexican mutant glared at Kyle.

"Oh shut up." Kyle pouted, crossing his arms.

"You look a lot like Bobby when you do that." Lila chuckled at Kyle.

"You mean Mr. Cold as Ice?" Kyle quipped. "That guy ain't right in the head. Something about him, Cheney."

"Yeah." Rictor nodded. "I think he's crazy or something." Meanwhile, inside the inside, Ali and Terrell continued talking.

"How did they take the fact about you finally getting a date?" Alison asked.

"They all were thrilled about the date…well…except for Bobby." Terrell sighed.

"I'm not surprised." Alison shook her head. "Sidney couldn't believe how much he had changed. Based on what she told me about him, he was a goofy prankster."

"He nearly impaled Thunderbird with an icicle for cracking a joke about him. Don't sound like no goofy prankster to me." Terrell raised an eyebrow.

"No, that doesn't." Ali agreed. "Something happened to him. But what could happen to a man to change him so badly so quickly?"

"It's a girl, man." Terrell smirked. "I may not be as popular with women as Casanova, but I can tell when a girl causes a guy's troubles. When he found out, he tried to get me cancel. Kept muttering about how women like to deceive or something like that. That boy got issues."

"He probably is just being a chauvinist. They still exist today, unfortunately." Alison grumbled.

**Freedom Force Headquarters**

Robert Drake, the Iceman, sat in a dark corner of his bedroom. His room wasn't decorated much. He stared at a picture he was holding in his hand. It was a picture of him with the other New Mutants, taken back when he was living in the Institute. Before all the mess. Before he ran away, bitter and angry. He had a big grin on his face, shorter hair, and he was giving Roberto bunny ears in the picture Bobby remembered that after the picture was taken, Roberto slugged him right in the mouth.

_Some people have no sense of humor._ Bobby mentally grumbled as he stared at the picture. _All I did was just try to make people laugh. All I wanted was just to have a little fun, and I get treated like garbage._ Bobby glared a metaphorical hole in the picture. _They all treated me like I had no feelings. Like I was a joke. I am not a joke. I am not some clown you can push around._ His eyes started to glow a light blue, and the picture froze in his hand. _Some friends you all turned out to be. You're all going to pay._ Bobby mentally snarled as he squeezed the picture._ You're all going to pay dearly for turning your backs on me. I promise all of you…your day will come._ Bobby squeezed the frozen photograph tighter and tighter until it cracked and shattered into many small pieces.

**_Next: The Date Continues!_**


	17. The Date Continues!

**Black Ice**

_To Haretrigger: Hey there, Hare! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I thought Ace sleep-talking would be good for some laughs. I don't like Britney Spears. I don't think she contributes anything original to music. Bobby is a dangerous human being, I'll give him that. He's not a nice kid anymore. Terrell eating a French dish? I like that idea! Thanks a lot! I'll see what I can do with that! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Thesis of a Black-Winged Angel"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Will disaster occur with Lila, Rictor, and Kyle following Terrell and Ali? Maybe. Yeah, Ace is a born rocker. Rock stardom is his big dream. Yeah, Bobby will snap sometime down the line. You just have to wait and see to find out when. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Here's what's next! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and I loved it! Leech is back, and why do I get the feeling we just met two members of X-Factor? Anyway, yeah, the date is going really great so far. Bobby is losing it a little more every day. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok!"_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I thought Ace spitting out that line would be funny. To be honest, I just made up the line off the top of my head. A lot of my stories are very spontaneous. I'm not a very good planner. Oh yes, tf. Foreshadowing is fun. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

**Disclaimer: "Oh, that's not right. That's just not right…" - Me**

Chapter 17: The Date Continues!

**Freedom Force HQ**

"Bobby?" Shan Coy, the Freedom Force leader known as Karma, walked around the HQ, looking around for Bobby. "Bobby? Where are you? Are you alright?" She looked at Bobby's room door. She knocked on it. "Bobby?" The door opened, and Bobby walked out.

"What?" The ice-maker growled.

"We're going to go out and get pizza." Shan said. "Want to join us?" Bobby narrowed his eyes.

"No." Bobby moved to close his door, but Shan stopped him.

"Wait a minute, Bobby." Shan said. "Look, you can't stay in your room all the time. It's not healthy for you."

"I know." Bobby said darkly.

"Look, Bobby. I'm worried about you." Shan said. "I think going out for pizza would be fun. You still like pizza, right?" Bobby stared at the mind-controller, no expression on his face.

"Yes."

"Well, I think it would do you some good to get out and have some pizza with us." Shan smiled. "You might want to look like you're sane." Bobby growled. "I was kidding! Relax!"

"We can't find Lila, Rictor, Kyle, or Ace." Shiro said simply. "They disappeared." Shan groaned.

"Alright, I'll call Lila up." Shan pulled out her cell-phone. "Maybe I can reach Lila on her cell phone."

**The French Restaurant**

Terrell Mason, the mutant speedster and air-controller codenamed Velocity, snacked down on a French dish. Ali blinked at the speedster.

"My, my. You must really like that particular dish."

"You bet! It's great!" Terrell grinned. Meanwhile, Lila, Rictor, and Kyle were continuing to watch the date. The three young mutants were snickering.

"The Thunderbolt's no expert on French food, but the Thunderbolt can't help but wonder if ol' Velocity has a clue of what he's eating." Kyle snickered. A ringing was heard.

"Oh, man!" Lila grumbled, pulling out her cell phone from her back pocket. "Yeah?"

"Lila? That you?" Shan's voice said on the other end.

_Uh oh!_ Lila's eyes widened. The interstellar teleporter quickly tried to make up something.

"Who is it?" Kyle whispered, but he got quickly shushed by Lila.

"Uh…Hi, Shan. What's up?" Lila grinned.

"Hey there Lila. Where are you and the boys?" Shan asked. Lila gulped.

"Uh, us? Well, we're just…hanging out by the pizza place." Lila grinned, trying to hide her nervousness. _Yeah, that's it._ Meanwhile, Terrell and Alison were enjoying their food.

"This stuff is so yummy!" Terrell grinned. "What's it called?"

"Frog's legs." Ali replied. "You've been eating frog's legs." Terrell suddenly stopped eating.

"Frog's legs?" Terrell blinked. "You mean, frog's legs, as in…the legs of a frog?"

"Mm-hmm." Ali nodded. "They're a big delicacy in France."

"GAH!" Terrell quickly spit out his food, waved his hands, and guzzled down his whole glass of water. "Oh God! Yech! What're these Frenchies thinking, and what's so funny?" Ali laughed.

"You're a regular Eddie Murphy." Ali grinned.

"Quiet!" Lila snapped at a snickering Kyle and Rictor.

"What a stupid jabroni." Kyle snickered.

"I think that Terrell is one of those people who will enjoy a food just as long as no one tells him what it is." Rictor snickered.

"We'll see you guys there." Lila said on her phone. She then quickly closed it. "Boys, we gotta go."

"But the show's getting good." Rictor whined.

"I know, but Shan and the others are going out for pizza, and they expect _us_ to be there waiting for them." Lila explained. "And if they find out what we're doing here, we're going to be in big trouble! Come on!"

**The parking lot**

"Zzzzzzz…hee hee hee hee…" Ace snoozed happily. "Zzzzz…Taste my metal-loving claws, you non-melodic freaks…" Ace snickered. "Zzzzzz…" With speed rivaling that of Quicksilver, Lila, Rictor and Kyle leapt into Ace's car, jolting the leonine feral awake. "What huh?"

"Ace, get us down to that pizza parlor we like!"

"What, why?" Ace blinked.

"The rest of Freedom Force is going to have pizza while Terrell is out on his date! They think we're down there, waiting for them!" Lila exclaimed.

"What?" Ace blinked, still trying to process what was going on.

"Just get us down to the pizza place, and quick!" Lila groaned.

"Man, and I was having such a nice dream…" Ace moaned as he started his car.

"If you weren't so paranoid about people driving your car, then you wouldn't be here, Ace." Lila sighed.

"Hey, I'm a guy." Ace snickered as he started his car. "Guys love their cars. Guys and cars go together like peanut butter and jelly."

**The pizza place, sometime later**

"Well, this is most enjoyable." Contessa Fontaine smiled. She was having a salad, while the young mutants of Freedom Force were taking advantage of the buffet.

"How can you _eat_ that, Sushi?" Kyle grimaced at Shiro's pizza. It had anchovies, tiny fish. "Anchovies are _terrible!_"

"Seafood is a big part of the Japanese diet." Shiro explained simply. "I enjoy fish." Lila noticed something. Bobby was sitting by himself in a corner table, eating his pizza.

"Is something wrong, Lila?" Fontaine asked.

"Yeah, Contessa." Lila nodded. "Bobby's sitting by himself. He shouldn't be sitting alone. It's boring."

"Well, why don't you sit with him then? He looks like he could use someone to talk to." Fontaine smiled. Lila nodded. She grabbed her plate and went over to Bobby's table. The ice-maker looked up at her.

"What do you want?" He grumbled.

"Is this seat taken?" Lila asked. Bobby grunted.

"Yes."

"Thanks." Lila sat down across from him. Bobby narrowed his eyes.

"I _said_ this seat was taken." Bobby growled.

"I thought you would like someone to sit with you, that's all. You're always by yourself."

"I like being by myself." Bobby tore into his pizza. "We all have things we like."

"Yeah, but it's not good being alone all the time. We all need _some_ human contact." Lila responded.

"What do you want?" Bobby asked suspiciously.

"I just want to talk to you."

"About my bad attitude?" Bobby sneered.

"No." Lila shook her head. "I just want to know why you're so…dark."

"Didn't you try this at the club?" Bobby remembered.

"I just thought you'd like someone to get to know you, that's all." Lila said. "And Shiro's not a conversational type. I think it's kind of sad that you don't like to hang around and have fun with the others."

"The last time I was on a team, I was considered a joke." Bobby replied. "So you can understand why I am not a fan of interacting with teammates."

"If you don't like being part of team so much, why did you join Freedom Force, then?" Lila asked.

"That's none of your business." Bobby said.

"Oh, come on." Lila wasn't going to give up now. "I'm curious. Why did you join Freedom Force?"

"You really want to know?" Bobby asked. Lila nodded. "I guess there's no harm in telling you. I joined because I figured as long as Shiro, Kyle, and John rescued me, I'll stick around. Besides, after four months of wandering in Canada, it becomes monotonous."

"You stuck around because you felt indebted to the boys?" Lila blinked. Bobby scoffed.

"No." Bobby scoffed. "I could care less."

"That's kind of ungrateful of you, isn't it?" Lila said.

"I don't care." Bobby told the teleporter.

"But the Wendigo could've have killed you." Lila told the ice-maker.

"I doubt it." Bobby smirked. _The Wendigo killing me?__ That's a laugh!_

**_Next: Movie Night!_**


	18. Movie Night!

**Black Ice**

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Don't worry, tf! I shall keep up the good work. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read brand new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I agree with you that things are not looking good on Freedom Force's front. Bobby does appear to have lost it, hasn't he? Lately, thanks to all the fervor regarding Star Wars: Episode III, I've been mentally comparing Bobby Drake in this story to Anakin Skywalker, who fell to the Dark Side of the Force and become, in my opinion the coolest bad guy ever, Darth Vader. Bobby is kind of like Anakin, an angry warrior who is destined to fall into darkness. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read brand new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"!_

**Disclaimer: "_I_ am your father!" - Darth Vader to Luke Skywalker, Star Wars, Episode IV: A ****New Hope****. I also don't own Star Wars, and flashbacks from "To Err is Human" are used with todd fan's permission.**

Chapter 18: Movie Night!

**Freedom Force HQ**

Freedom Force had gathered together in their base of operations/home. They had decided to spend the night in and wait for Terrell to come home from his date with the Dazzler. They had all treated themselves to a night watching the original three Star Wars movies while they waited. Hooting and hollering could be heard outside the house.

"Whoo, yeah!"

"Oh man, look at that X-Wing fly!"

"This the best movie ever!"

"Oh my God!"

"_Ooh,_ that's…_gotta_ hurt!"

"Shhh! This is the best part!"

"I thought he was dead." Freedom Force was enjoying themselves for that one night. All except one member. That one particular member, Bobby Drake, had decided to go down to the gym. The gym area was located one floor below the visible part of the house, which looked like one of those special places for reality TV shows. Bobby had changed into a sleeveless black t-shirt and a pair of blue shorts, and started pounding on the punching bag. As he punched, he started to think back, using his memories to help fuel his need to punch the bag…

**The Xavier Institute, four months ago**

The infirmary doors opened quietly as Bobby stepped in. He frowned at Lizzie's still form on the bed, then looked at her brother.

"So...you're kinda worried about Lizzie, then?" Bobby asked with a nervous laugh. Sam didn't even look up from his place. Bobby blinked, relaxing slightly, stepping forwards. "She'll be fine, she bounces back from most things." He smiled. He gave a squeak of surprise as he was suddenly hefted up by the front of his shirt as Sam stood up and grabbed him in one motion. His feet didn't even touch the floor. He'd forgotten how tall Sam actually was. "Err...Sammie...that kind of hurts." He gasped, trying to twist his shirt away.

"No kiddin'." Sam growled. "You have **no** right to be down here, Bobby. **You** did this. No one else. Ah don't know why you did it, and Ah don't rightly care."

"You're not going to kill me now...aren't you?" Bobby squeaked.

"No." Sam replied, narrowing his eyes. "Momma always taught me violence isn't the answer. But…" Bobby's eyes widened.

"But?" Bobby gulped. Sam's grip tightened ever so slightly.

"If you **_ever_** step foot near **_any_** of mah family ever again, you'll find out exactly how easy ice can shatter when it's hit with a cannonball." Sam threatened ominously, before dropping Bobby on the floor. "Get out." Bobby numbly got up, frowning and dusting himself off.

"Fine, take her side. Of course you would. You're family." Bobby muttered, stomping off.

Sam ignored him, going back to keeping watch over his sister.

**Freedom Force HQ, present day**

"I considered you family, Sam." Bobby muttered to himself as he punched the bag. "I considered you a brother. I wanted you to hear me out. I understood that you were angry. I just wanted you to give me a chance to explain myself. But you wouldn't give me that, would you?" Bobby started punching the bag harder and faster. "No, you wouldn't! You turned your back on me! You turned on me for a sister who would rather see you dead! She didn't care about anyone but herself, and you turn on a man who considered you a brother for that self-centered wannabe biker **_tramp!_** She took my heart and spat on it, and you sided with **_her?_** Well then Sam, I guess I'll have to show you what happens when a cannonball tries to shatter ice…ice that can fight **_BACK!_**" With a roar like an enraged animal, Bobby hit the bag with a glowing fist. With a boom, the fist hit the bag, sending it flying into a wall. As it flew, the bag froze solid. The bag shattered like glass when it hit the wall. Bobby, face painted with maddening rage, watched the pieces hit the floor, eyes glowing blue orbs. He gave another scream and blasted the walls with ice beams, freezing the entire room. He stood still in the center of the room, breathing heavily through gritted teeth, fists clenched at his side so tightly, they were solid white. "I'll make you pay, Sam…I'll make you _all_ pay…in blood…lots of it…"

"Bobby?" A voice said. Bobby quickly turned around. He saw Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway, at the door. He glared at her, causing the normally cool girl to gulp.

"What…do…you…want?" Bobby snarled.

"What happened? I heard you scream." Lila answered with a little nervousness in her voice. Bobby snorted.

"Primal Scream therapy." Bobby replied simply.

"What…" Lila looked around the frozen gym. "What…happened here?" Bobby looked around and shrugged.

"Just thought I'd take Ace's advice and chill out for a while." Bobby smirked.

"Man, Karma and the Contessa are going to flip…their…lids!" Lila blinked. "This whole place is a giant ice cube."

"I'll get it thawed out later. No big deal. It's just water." Bobby shrugged as he started to leave.

"Man, you must've let off a lot of steam to do this." Lila blinked.

"So?" Bobby grumbled, crossing his arms. "Don't you ever have days where you just want to smash stuff?"

"Yeah, but…" Lila started to admit.

"Well, on those days, I don't smash stuff. I freeze stuff." Bobby explained. "I don't do a whole lot of damage. Usually things end up undamaged. Usually."

"Geez." Lila grimaced. "You sure are a fun guy to be around."

"Fun?" Bobby looked at Lila. "I used to have fun in life." Bobby walked away. "Until I learned the truth about life. It's really just a series of hardships." He went upstairs via an elevator. He walked by Kyle's room. He noticed that the walls of Kyle's room were covered in wrestling posters, and one wall had a shelf full of wrestling figures. One wall had what appeared to be a couple grey metal filing cabinets. Kyle Wildfire himself was sitting on his bed, a laptop computer on his lap. Bobby peeked in. Kyle grinned and looked up.

"Hey jabroni!" Kyle grinned, his accent showing his proud Boston heritage. Bobby stared at Kyle.

"What're you doing?" Bobby asked, crossing his arms. "I thought you were watching th movie with the others."

"I was, but I decided to take a break. I've been reading on the Internet about the new Star Wars movie." Kyle grinned.

"Never pegged you for a sci-fi geek." Bobby noted. "I always thought of you as more of a tough guy."

"The Thunderbolt's read comic books since the day he could read." Kyle smirked, pointing to his file cabinets. "The Thunderbolt's been collecting comics and wrestling magazines since the day he could walk into a comic shop and buy them. When the Thunderbolt first discovered his powers, he realized he had a destiny. A destiny to be the world's first pro wrestling superhero." Kyle pointed at a poster of a red-haired man whose hair was in a ponytail, and dressed in long red tights with a yellow-and-orange flame on each leg, yellow boots, a black t-shirt, yellow elbowpads and kneepads, and red wristbands. "That's my dad, Eric "Blazer" Wildfire. He's a former World Heavyweight Champion, just like the Thunderbolt's grandpa."

"Sounds like quite a legacy." Bobby nodded.

"You know who you remind me of?" Kyle asked.

"Who?" Bobby asked.

"Anakin Skywalker." Kyle replied.

"What?" Bobby said in a manner that indicated he was slightly disturbed by what Kyle said.

"Anakin Skywalker." Kyle repeated. "Ever heard of Darth Vader?"

"One of the idiots in the X-Men had a Darth Vader shirt." Bobby grumbled. "I don't really remember which idiot."

"Yeah, well…" Kyle rolled his eyes. "Before Darth Vader became Darth Vader, he was Anakin Skywalker, a troubled young Jedi Knight who was tutored by Obi-Wan Kenobi. However, Anakin fell to the Dark Side of the Force, which is basically like ambient evil. Anakin fell to the darkness within him, and he engaged in a brutal battle with Obi-Wan. Guy got so badly mauled during that battle, he had to get mechanical parts put in, and Darth Vader was born." Bobby snickered mockingly.

"You afraid the Bad Force is going to get me?" Bobby mocked. Kyle shook his head.

"No, jabroni." Kyle replied. "If there's anything I've learned from Star Wars, it's that we all have inner darkness, and we should never let ourselves surrender to it." Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Oh brother." The ice-maker scoffed. "Jedi Knights are a product of some old nerd's imagination, not something that teaches anything valuable."

"Fine then, Anakin." Kyle smirked. Bobby grumbled under his breath as he turned and left.

"Geek." Bobby groused.

"Hey everybody! Terrell's back!" Rictor announced from the living room. Kyle ran out of his room.

"Come on, Anakin!" Kyle teased. Bobby groused and grumbled as he stomped into the living room. The rest of Freedom Force was waiting outside the door.

"I must admit, this is quite exciting." Shan grinned. The door opened, and Terrell sauntered in, a big fat smug smile on his face.

"Well, that…was fun." Terrell smirked.

"Details! We want details! You will provide details!" Lila ordered with mock sternness. _Especially since I didn't get to watch the rest of the freakin' date!_

"Lila!" Fontaine admonished. "That's rude."

"Sorry, I'm just excited!" Lila grinned.

"Well, I had a wonderful dinner, until I learned I was eating frog's legs." Terrell made a face.

"Oh man…" John tried not to snicker.

"Well, thanks to Ace's tips, I managed to salvage the date. We went out to the club, and I wowed her with my James Brown-style! Aow! Hit me!" He did a split.

"Boy, would I like to hit him." Bobby muttered through gritted teeth.

"Anyway, after some laughs, and a night of dancing, we drove back to her hotel."

"Terrell, you _didn't!_" Fontaine exclaimed.

"I doubt he could, anyway." Bobby smirked.

"Shut up, Iceman." Terrell glared at the ice-maker. "It wasn't like that. We drove back, she thought it was fun, and she said if she was ever in LA again, she'd look me up."

"Oh." Fontaine breathed a sigh of relief. The Italian woman then smiled. "Congratulations, Terrell."

"Yeah, she found someone new to string along." Bobby cheered sarcastically. "Now it's only a matter of time before she gets bored with you and leaves you for some other toy."

"Do you have to rain on everyone's parade?" Terrell snapped at Bobby. The ice-maker shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah. I don't exactly _like_ other people, so I can't help but make commentary."

"You know, you talked to me along those same lines when I was getting ready for the date, man!" Terrell remembered.

"I was _trying_ to help you out Terrell, like a good teammate should. I guess you were too stupid to listen to my advice though, no matter how sage it is." Bobby smirked. "No surprise."

"Are you insinuating something, Drake?" Terrell snarled.

"Yeah. I'm insinuating that you are in idiot, and you're a really **_big_** idiot for going out with that lying devious blonde snake Dazzler!" Bobby yelled.

"Don't you _dare_ call her that!" Terrell yelled. He zipped across the room, and punched Bobby out. The ice-maker hit him in the gut, and the two started fighting.

"Hey, knock it off!" Shan yelled as the rest of the team moved to separate them. Ace and Lila looked at each other with worry.

"Back off, Anakin!" Kyle snapped at Bobby.

"And stop calling me that!"

**_Next: Training Daze!_**


	19. Training Daze!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, it **was** only a matter of time before Bobby started fighting with his own new teammates. Yeah, I can imagine that Bobby's actions and his attitude as of late can be seen by anyone as a sign that something is seriously wrong with the ex-prankster. I thought Kyle's nicknaming Bobby Anakin would be very appropriate. I've grown obsessed with Episode III, and it's given me many ideas. You have to admit, there are a lot of similarities between Anakin Skywalker and Bobby Drake in this story. They're both warriors, they both have a lot of troubles in their lives, they're both very powerful, and they're both dangerously close at this point to falling into darkness. I agree with you, Bobby just made a mistake. He never intended to hurt __Elizabeth__ and kill her unborn child. Bobby's not heartless, he just screwed up. Maybe if Lucas didn't attack Bobby in "To Err is Human", Bobby would have stayed and cooled off. Yeah, training will not be pretty. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I thought the "Star Wars" symbolism would be appropriate. Bobby is like Anakin Skywalker: a young man with great power who is tempted by a horrible darkness. With Anakin, it's the Dark Side of the Force. With Bobby, it's the inner darkness growing within him. I feel sorry for him as well. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and I loved it! Poor Bobby, trapped in Emma's body. Something tells me we may see a new side of the Iceman after this. This is only a suggestion, but maybe you could take a "Black Ice" approach to Bobby after this. You know, like have him grow obsessed with getting revenge on Emma Frost and the Hellions after he gets his body back. Just a suggestion. Anyway, you went to the Star Wars premiere? Wow. I first saw it on videotape as a kid. It rules! Yeah, Anakin as a nickname fits Bobby. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"._

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Will anyone get through to Bobby? Well, I'll certainly have everyone try. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you again!_

**Disclaimer: "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." - Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope**

Chapter 19: Training Daze!

**Contessa**** Fontaine's room, Freedom Force HQ**

Contessa Valentina Fontaine opened up her laptop in her room. She did some typing on it. A small microphone popped out from a tiny hole next to the keyboard. The gray-haired and eyepatch-wearing face of Nick Fury appeared on the screen.

"Good evening, Nick." Fontaine smiled. Fontaine and Fury had a very long history, so they did refer to each other by first name.

"How is Freedom Force doing?" Fury nodded.

_Ever the professional, Fury._ Fontaine mentally chuckled. "The kids are fine, Nick. Thy're doing alright."

"That's good, Val." Fury nodded. "You know how my old friend would feel if anything happened to Karma."

"Yeah yeah, I know." Fontaine nodded with a smirk. "We have a new recruit."

"Really?" Fury asked, his interest piqued.

"Name's Bobby Drake." Fontaine told the SHIELD director. His one eye betrayed his surprise.

"Well, I'll be. Drake." Fury remembered. "One of them X-Men, if I remember correctly. He disappeared of the face of the earth four months ago. After that encounter with the Hellfire Club and Nightshift **(1)**."

"So he left the X-Men." Fontaine nodded. "He told me that he spent the last four months in Canada, just wandering around. He's…got issues."

"Issues?" Fury wondered.

"Yes." Fontaine nodded. "He's really troubled. He's very…dark." The dark-haired Italian woman scrunched her face in thought. "He's distanced himself from the others, and he's extremely negative. He appears to be extremely bitter, and he holds grudges. Not to mention his temper." Fontaine shook her head. "Sometimes, small things can cause him to completely lose it. He also appears to be distrustful of women. Not to mention he flips out whenever someone cracks a joke about him. Even light-hearted inoffensive comments cause him to fly off the handle."

"Sounds like the kid got himself some issues, alright." Fury smirked.

"That's not all." Fontaine continued. "I think he is an Alpha-class, possibly even an Omega-class mutant."

"_Omega?_" Fury exclaimed. Fontaine nodded. "Good God…"

"I know." Fontaine nodded. "I can tell. He is extremely angry, and very bitter. Combine that with the power level of an Omega-class mutant…"

"No telling _what_ could happen." Fury concluded. "And I thought _Thunderbolt_ had a temper."

"For now, he seems quiet." Fontaine told the war veteran. "All he does is sulk. Karma's keeping an eye on him."

**A cliffside**

"I _hate_ cliffsides." Bobby Drake grumbled. He and the rest of Freedom Force were standing at the top of a large cliff.

"You hate everything, Anakin." Kyle Wildfire snickered. Bobby growled.

"Cliffs bring back bad memories. And _stop_ calling me Anakin!" Bobby snapped.

"Sure thing…" Kyle smirked. "…Anakin." Bobby's eyes shone light blue and his face contorted in anger.

"Settle down, Bobby." Lila calmed with a chuckle. "Kyle likes messing around with people. Just ignore him." Bobby grumbled under his breath.

"Loudmouthed arrogant little…" Bobby started grumbling and cursing under his breath.

"Alright, Freedom Force." Fontaine got the teenagers' attention. "Now we're going to have ourselves a little training race." She held up a harness. "You kids are going to go down to the bottom of the cliff, and the first one to get back up wins."

"Oh, this is going to be _easy!_" Terrell smirked.

"No super speed, Mason." Fontaine smirked. The Compton-born speedster's face fell.

"Awww!" Terrell groaned. He glared at a snickering John and Kyle. "Shut up!"

"Heh heh, looks like you lost your edge." Kyle smirked.

"Shiro, Kyle, no flying." Fontaine continued. Kyle's jaw dropped.

"WHAT?" The Boston-born electrokinetic howled. Shiro nodded.

"I can go without flying." Shiro said simply. The Japanese teenager shot a smirk at Kyle. "Looks like _you_ lost _your_ edge." Terrell laughed at the remark. Kyle glared at Shiro.

"Know your role and shut your mouth!" Kyle snapped.

"Lila, no teleporting."

"No problem." Lila shrugged. "I can't teleport short distances anyway."

"Ace, no claws." Fontaine continued.

"Awww." Ace gave a mock pout. "You really take all the fun out of this exercise." The LA-born, 80s-rocker-dressing feral laughed at his own joke.

"Karma, no mind-controlling to help you get up faster."

"When have I ever done that?" Karma rolled her eyes.

"Heh." Bobby smirked, crossing his arms. "Looks like I'm the only one who didn't get a special rule."

"Oh yes. Bobby, no ice structures or anything like that." Fontaine smirked.

"Grrr…" Bobby groused. Rictor snickered.

"Looks like I'm the untouchable one here, hombre." The young Mexico-born sonic generator snickered.

"Oh, brother." John Proudstar groaned.

"Hey Drake, ever done anything like this with the X-Men?" Ace asked. Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah." Bobby answered as he put on his harness. "We would do this kind of stuff in the Danger Room all the time."

"Danger Room?" Ace blinked.

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "It's called that for a reason. The room is filled with all sorts of traps and devices to test us and allow us to practice using our mutant powers in missions." He fixed up his harness. "One of the X-Men has mutant powers that allow him to invent."

"Like Virus." Ace nodded. Bobby blinked up at the leonine teenage guitarist.

"Virus? Who's Virus?"

"I'm surprised you haven't met him in the X-Men." Ace chuckled. "I thought you guys knew _all_ the mutant bad guys. Virus is this insane Brit, around our age. He's a techno-terrorist."

"Yeah." John nodded. "We've faced him a few times. One crazy Brit. He believes that he's a machine."

"He thinks that Earth was once a mechanical planet." Ace explained further. "He suffers from the delusion that organic life, i.e. us, took over the planet. He wants to free the machines and help them retake the planet."

"Guy thinks of himself as the Messiah of Machines." John grumbled. Bobby snorted arrogantly.

"He sounds like he needs his parents to smack him around." The ice-maker grumbled as the gang attached the ropes to their harnesses.

"He's a real sociopath." John added. "He's killed a lot of people. Guy thinks of killing a human the same thing as one of us smashing a cockroach."

"Huh." Bobby noted as the gang used their ropes and harnesses to scale down the cliff. "Sounds like his wires are majorly crossed."

"Ready…" Fontaine looked at her watch, oblivious to the conversation.

"Yeah, he can possess electronics like ghosts can possess people in addition to his inventing powers." Ace nodded. "I lost a good digital watch thanks to him."

"Get set…GO!" Fontaine whopped. The gang started using the ropes to scale the cliff.

"Hey, John." Bobby smirked.

"Yeah?" John asked as he pulled up the rope, scaling the cliff. He and Bobby were lagging behind. Bobby was doing it on purpose. John was never a good climber. The others were already managing to get very close to the edge.

"Virus sounds like my kind of guy." Bobby smirked.

"You _are_ crazy." John shook his head.

"Think about it, Proudstar." Bobby smirked. "He knows what he wants, and he's willing to do what it takes to get what he wants."

"Yeah, and he wants to destroy the planet." John rolled his eyes. Bobby reached out and tapped John's rope with his finger. "What was that?"

"You might want to get your ropes winterized." Bobby smirked as he started climbing. John blinked.

"Hey Drake, what did you mean by-" John noticed a small patch of his rope was frozen through. "Hey what-? Bobby!" The frozen rope patch snapped. "AAAGH!" The Native American powerhouse managed to grab the end of the rope that was still attached to the cliff. It left him hanging. "Bobby! Help me up here! Bobby!" Bobby stopped climbing and looked down at the yelling Native American. The ice-maker sneered and continued on his way.

"Your problem, Proudstar." Bobby grumbled. He continued climbing until he almost reached the top. The ice-maker grabbed John's rope and started pulling him up as he finished the trip.

**(1) - Nightshift is the name of the team of mutants that Lucas Xavier/Legion formed. Its roster is Elizabeth Guthrie/Amazon, Theresa Rourke/Siryn, Japheth/Maggott, Kyle Dibney/Wild Child, Alex Summers/Havok, Lorna Dane/Polaris, and Sammy Pare/Fish Boy. They first appeared with the name in "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", which is no longer up on the site.**

**_Next: Another Mission! _**


	20. A Minor Change and a New Mission!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! The rope thing is kind of Bobby's idea of a prank nowadays. Nothing like putting someone else's life at risk. I think Bobby did say that remark about liking Virus partially to get a rise out of John, and because he may genuinely feel that way. Keep in mind, Bobby is not quite all there. I think Val would have to report to Nick every so often about Freedom Force's progress. As for Bobby's classification, Val said he **may** be an Omega-class mutant. He may not. He may just be a very powerful Alpha-class. Bobby's true power has yet to be seen, so he may very well be an Omega-class mutant. I agree, Bobby is a ticking time-bomb. Bobby probably helped John up because Thunderbird hasn't done anything yet to anger Bobby. As for Bobby's reaction to the mission, it may vary, but I don't think it will be as bad as the reaction to the mission with __Sidney__. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to hear more from you._

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby just can't get a break. He's just is wallowing in his dark place. Anyway, he's going to go through a little change here. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and I loved it! Man, the Thing would make a very strange substitute teacher. What inspired all this? Too bad those toys are broken. You'd fetch a pretty penny. Aw well. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby said it. I think he just said it to get a rise out of John Proudstar. Not to mention that Bobby may see a little bit of himself in the crazed English mutant. They're both vengeful. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

**Disclaimer: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."**

Chapter 20: A Minor Change and a New Mission!

**Freedom Force HQ, the next morning**

"Ohh…" Bobby Drake moaned as he sat up on his bed. His room was rather plainly decorated. He had no pictures of the X-Men on his bedside. He never really got around to going out and decorating it anyway. One day had passed since Bobby's 'prank' on his teammate, the super-athletic Apache mutant John Proudstar, codename Thunderbird. Bobby had gone to bed that night with a bit of a headache.

**A Cliffside, Yesterday**

"Your rope snapped." Fontaine said as she examined John's rope after he and Bobby reached the cliff.

"I'm fine." John grumbled. He shot a glare at Bobby, who only sneered back.

**Freedom Force HQ, present day**

"God…" Bobby grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He was dressed in a blue t-shirt and black shorts. "My eyes are so sore…" He lumbered out of bed and pulled back the curtain. "Ah!" He covered his eyes to prevent himself from being blinded by the sudden onslaught of light from the California sun. "I'll never get used to that." He heard a pounding at his door.

"Drake!" A familiar voice yelled. "Get your butt up and open this door! I want to talk to you!"

"Oh great, the big bad Thunderbird is mad." Bobby grumbled. He pressed a button on the side of his door, causing it to slide open. A very unhappy John Proudstar stood on the other side, arms crossed. The big muscular Apache was dressed in a pair of black boxers and an undershirt. "What do you want?"

"What do you think?" John growled. "I want some answers."

"What is Mongolia? There's an answer for you." Bobby remarked smarmily.

"You know what I mean, you punk." John growled. "What was going through your head yesterday, man? Freezing my rope and leaving me to fall like that?"

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Bobby grumbled, pinching his nose. "I helped you up, didn't I? What's the matter? The big bad Apache can't take a joke?"

"There's a difference between a joke and that stunt you pulled." John growled.

"Am I supposed to care?" Bobby growled back. "I'm not in the mood right now to deal with your garbage, okay? I just want to go and get me some breakfast ACK!" Before Bobby could react, John had grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" John snarled. "I don't like getting stunts like that pulled on me." He got in Bobby's face. "I got a good mind to…" John blinked and backed off when he noticed something odd.

"What?" Bobby smirked. "Can't follow through on your threats?"

"Bobby, I think you may want to look in a mirror." John blinked. "I think something's wrong with your eyes."

"What about my eyes?" Bobby grumbled, rubbing his neck. "You like them or something?"

"Look in a mirror!" John snapped. Bobby snorted and looked in a wall-mounted body-length mirror in his room.

"What?" Bobby shrugged impatiently. "I don't see anything wrong with my…eyes…" Bobby looked closer. He noticed his eyes appeared to have changed color. "What happened to my eyes? They're supposed to be brown."

"That's what I thought. Looks like you got blue eyes now." John noted. He took a closer look at Bobby's reflection. "Not just blue…your eyes are _ice_ blue."

**Freedom Force HQ, later that day**

Ace Starr was in the Freedom Force headquarters' garage. He was whistling a classic rock tune while polishing his beloved blue Ferrari.

"_Smokin__' in the boys' room, smokin' in the boys' room…_" Ace sang out. The feral then sighed. "Why'd you have to leave us, Cubby Koda?" He then went back to his happy humming and polishing. His strong feral senses picked up someone approaching. "Hey, Bobby." Bobby walked up to Ace. The ice-maker was dressed in his usual wares: T-shirt, jeans, and a black trenchcoat. He had on sunglasses. "You don't need sunglasses in here, man. It's not that bright."

"I think something's wrong with my eyes, Ace." Bobby said simply.

"If they're bloodshot, start sleeping more." Ace smirked. "I sleep a lot myself, being catlike and all." Ace snickered. "Why do you think I'm so into the nightlife in this town?"

"Just look." Bobby grumbled, ripping off his glasses. Ace looked at Bobby.

"Bobby, your…your eyes…they're blue."

"Ice blue." Bobby corrected. "I went to bed with a headache and brown eyes, and I woke up with blue eyes. The others have ben making comments all freakin' morning."

"Maybe it's a side effect." Ace shrugged. "See this?" Ace pointed to the blue 8-pointed star-shaped birthmark over his right eye. "I got this since the day since I was born. Came with the X-Gene and the claws, and the fangs, brother. Sometimes, the X-Gene gives its owners some side-effects. In your case, the X-Gene must have turned your eyes blue. Can you still see?"

"Just fine." Bobby grumbled.

"Then don't worry about it. Besides, I think ice blue suits you anyway." Ace chuckled.

"All Freedom Force members, please report to the Common Room." Fontaine's voice came over the PA.

"Ah, never enough time for fun." Ace sighed with faux disappointment, throwing the cloth inside the car.

"Everything's a joke to you." Bobby said to the lion-like feral.

"And everything's so depressing to you." Ace shot back jokingly with a smile.

**The Freedom Force HQ Common Room**

"So, what's happenin', cap'n?" Ace grinned as he and Bobby walked into the common room.

"Oh look, Anakin has arrived." Kyle joked with a smirk.

"Shut up, Thunderbolt." Bobby grumbled.

"Like the new eye color." Lila snickered. "Ice blue is really you."

"Yeah, yeah." Bobby muttered darkly as he took a seat.

"You alright, Drake?" Fontaine blinked.

"Yeah, I just wish everyone would leave me alone about my freakin' eyes." Bobby grumbled. "They changed color. Big deal."

"It's kind of unusual, jabroni." Kyle rolled his eyes.

"Coming from a guy who can make electricity into solid constructs?" Bobby groaned.

"Alright, we'll worry about your eyes later." Karma reassured.

"No big deal. I can still see just fine." Bobby groaned.

"Anyway, I have been told of a new invention done by the Stark Industries subsidiary in Los Angeles." Fontaine explained. She pointed a remote at the big-screen TV. It displayed a picture of a tiny six-legged robot.

"What's that, the next Christmas sensation?" John crossed his arms.

"No, it's a nanite." Fontaine answered.

"Looks like something from Star Wars." Kyle snickered. "Hey Anakin, you got the Empire building droids like that?" Kyle teased at Bobby.

"Shut up!" The ice-maker snapped.

"A nanite is a very small robot. So small, they cannot be seen with a microscope." Karma explained.

"I've seen some planets that use stuff like that." Lila nodded.

**_Next: Viral Attack_**


	21. Viral Attack!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! For some reason, I kept thinking of Bobby has having blue eyes in this fic, so I decided to have his powers turn his eyes ice blue. His teammates don't mean to offend him with the remarks, and Kyle explained the "Anakin" thing in an earlier chapter. It's just that Bobby is hyper-sensitive about the remarks._

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, new missions are lots of fun! I don't plan to have Bobby become ice permanently in this fic. But I **am** giving him some new powers that are logical extensions of his own powers. You'll have to wait and see what they are. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I had Bobby's eyes change color because I thought it'd be cool, and it's more for symbolism. Here's more for you! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

**Disclaimer: "Everyone there has to wear gloves, because it's the law."**

Chapter 21: Viral Attack!

**A Stark Industries subsidiary in Los Angeles**

"Why are we here again?" Bobby Drake grumbled as he and the rest of Freedom Force sat in a waiting room. They were all in costume, and all the jokes about no one noticing they were in costume were dealt with. In fact, they weren't really needed, considering the fact that Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway, had used her powers to get them into the building in the first place. Bobby smacked a vending machine. He was standing at a vending machine, trying to get a packet of chips.

"To get a look at the new nanite machine, Bobby." Contessa Fontaine replied, reading a magazine. Several of the mutants were sleeping, which included Starway, Velocity, and Thunderbird. Sunfire was meditating. Thunderbolt and Wildstar were watching the television. Rictor was counting ceiling tiles. Karma was reading a magazine.

"Oh, yeah." Bobby muttered. He smacked the machine again. "Gimme my chips! I gave you exact change, now gimme my chips!" He started shaking it as the ice-maker's blood rapidly boiled over. "GIMME MY CHIPS, YOU STUPID HUNK OF TIN!"

"Hey man, you need to calm down. Get someone to fix it." Rictor grumbled.

"They can fix this!" Bobby's fingers extended into icy claws, and with a crushing and ripping sound, Bobby tore the machine wide open, causing bags of chips and candy bars to fall out on the ground.

"What the-?" Rictor's jaw dropped.

"That's coming out of your stipend." Fontaine said calmly, not looking up from her magazine. Every week, the members of Freedom Force were given a stipend of money. Bobby snarled at that remark. He created an icicle and stabbed it into a soda machine that was standing next to it.

"Whoa!" Rictor and Ace's jaws dropped.

"Take _that_ out of my stipend, too!" Bobby snapped angrily at Fontaine. Surprisingly, neither the other kids nor Fontaine reacted much to the Iceman's outburst. But then again, they had grown used to Bobby being…Bobby in the time that he has been with them.

"Geez Bob, you didn't need to go psycho on the poor vending machines." Ace rolled his eyes.

"Gives me something to do." Bobby shrugged. "Besides, I wouldn't have had to do that if the vending machine had just given me my chips." An assistant, a pretty woman, walked in.

"The invention is ready." The assistant said simply. Fontaine looked up and put down her magazine.

"Alright. Shan…" Fontaine nodded. Shan looked up and nodded back. The Vietnamese girl put down her magazine. The two got up and followed the assistant.

"I've got to see this…" Ace snickered. He tapped Rictor's shoulder as he got up and followed the girls. The young Mexican mutant shrugged and got up as well. Bobby watched the four leave. He looked at the rest of the kids, who were snoozing or meditating.

"Ah, what the hey." Bobby shrugged and followed the others. They walked into a white room with computers adorning three of its white walls. In the center of the room was a white table with a glowing top, and a circular device that looked like something out of Star Trek with a small nozzle on it and what appeared to be an upwards-pointing satellite dish at the top with eight small green lights around it. A man stood proudly behind the device. He looked like he was in his 60s, his long black hair, speckled with gray, was slicked back and put into a ponytail. The man was dressed in a green sweater and black slacks with a white lab coat over them. His blue eyes were covered by round-shaped gold-rimmed glasses. "What's that?"

"Looks like something out of Star Wars." Ace whistled. Bobby growled and muttered under his breath.

"That nickname's gonna come back…"

"Relax, Bobby." Shan reassured. "Only Kyle calls you 'Anakin'. You know him."

"If I hear one more person call me 'Anakin' today, I am going to…" Bobby started to threaten.

"It is good to see you, Dr. Winter." Fontaine greeted, unknowingly interrupting Bobby's threat.

"Yes. Thank you, Contessa." The scientist greeted with a grin, shaking her hand. "I am glad that SHIELD is very interested in my technology."

"We just wish to see it's in the right hands, Doctor." Fontaine nodded. "Technology like yours can be very dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Like Forge's." Bobby muttered darkly under his breath. Dr. Winter looked at the young mutants. His face formed an expression that indicated insecurity.

"Uhm, Contessa…are you sure that SHIELD knows what they're doing by sending me these…children…" Dr. Winter asked Fontaine nervously. Bobby clenched his fists, struggling not to let his newfound temper get the better of him. And it was a battle he was rapidly losing.

"I assure you Doctor, these young mutants are highly trained-" Fontaine started.

"You listen here, Four-Eyes!" Bobby snapped angrily at Dr. Winter. "Are you saying that we're incompetent? Are you saying we're stupid? Are you saying we are incapable?"

"Iceman, calm down!" Shan hissed.

"You listen to me, you arrogant nerd!" Bobby got in Dr. Winters' face. He grabbed the scientist by the front of his shirt. "I have grown very sick and very tired of people saying I'm stupid! If you very insult me again pal, I _will_ make you into a popsicle!"

"Bobby! Stop!" Fontaine ordered. Bobby snarled for a second, and then roughly let the scientist go. With a grunt, Bobby stomped out of the room. Ace went out after him.

"What the heck was _that_ about, man?" Ace exclaimed as he followed Bobby. Bobby went partway down a nearby hall and punched the wall.

"I _hate_ it when people call me stupid!" Bobby screamed in rage. "I am _not_ stupid!"

"Alright, alright…" Ace tried to calm down the ice-maker.

"I'm not stupid!" Bobby growled. "Why does everybody always think I'm stupid? Just because I don't understand fancy scientific garbage, doesn't mean that I am stupid!"

"You're not the only one." Ace shrugged. "I never got that stuff either. We all have stuff we're not good at."

"Tell that to the X-Men." Bobby growled. "Academics were never my strong suit. They always said I was stupid because of that."

"I sucked at science myself." Ace smirked. "But I don't mind, because I know I'm good a something. For me, it's music." The feral had a bolt of inspiration hit him. "You know what you should do? You should find something you're good at. What're you good at?"

"…Nothing, really." Bobby shrugged. "Well, except that I used to be a prankster."

"The big bad Iceman, a prankster?" An amused Ace raised an eyebrow. "Wow."

"I don't _do_ pranks anymore. Pranks are for idiots." Bobby growled.

"Rictor fancies himself a bit of a prankster sometimes." Ace smiled. "Maybe you could show him some of your tricks." Bobby scoffed.

"Yeah. Sure. **That'll** get me respect." The ice-maker scoffed. Rictor ran up to them.

"Hey, guys! You gotta see this! C'mon!" The young Hispanic mutant waved. Ace and Bobby followed Rictor into the room. Inside, Dr. Winter put what appeared to be a piece of badly burnt human flesh on the table.

"Ewww…" Shan winced a little.

"I've seen worse, Shan." Fontaine shrugged.

"This is a piece of skin from a burn victim generously donated by the local hospital." Dr. Winter explained. He then held up the device. "I programmed this device, my Nanite Generator, to build a group of nanites to rebuild the skin back into a pristine state. I believe that nanites can be used to revolutionize medicine. Nanites are so small, they can actually interact with cells and rebuild them."

"That has quite a lot of possibilities." Fontaine nodded.

"Yes." Dr. Winter agreed with a smile. "Nanites can be used to remove cancerous growths without harming normal cells. They can rebuild tissue, allowing reversals of heart conditions, for example." He put the device down on the table next to the skin. "In this example, nanites can accelerate healing by rebuilding the damaged skin cells in this sample. Watch." Dr. Winter pressed a button on the Nanite Generator. The eight green lights turned on one at a time. The nozzle released a blob of silver liquid about the size of a half-dollar coin. "The silver liquid is the nanites. There are millions of them in that glob." The liquid moved toward the skin sample, and started working on the burnt parts. Once it was finished, the skin looked perfect, without a single burn mark. The liquid then crawled away and went back inside the Generator. The kids watched the whole thing with dropped jaws.

"Wow!" Ace exclaimed.

"Talk about being quick to recover." Rictor whistled.

"Whoopee." Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Yes, with this device, many people's lives can be saved." Dr. Winter smiled.

**_KABOOM!_**

The wall behind the doctor exploded.

"Dr. Winter!" Fontaine jumped up and knocked the doctor to the ground.

"What the-?" Ace exclaimed. A scrawny teenage boy floated through the hole. He was dressed like a punk rocker: A heavy metal t-shirt, biker gloves, studded wristbands, blue jeans with a black studded belt, white sneakers, a sleeveless jean jacket, and a green headband to keep his long brown hair out of his face. He had a maniacal grin, and his green eyes glowed electronic green. On his back, there was a futuristic jet pack. Ace's eyes widened.

"Oh no…"

"Great…" Bobby grumbled. "Just great."

"Or your device can be used to free me fellow machines from the tyranny they're forced to endure under organic rule." Vincent James, aka Virus, grinned madly.

**_Next: Viral Brawl_**


	22. Viral Brawl!

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Well, Bobby's become a lot more destructive. He's more prone to lashing out now. As for the scientist, I guess Bobby got frustrated by the fact that the guy is smarter than him, and it caused Bobby to feel stupid, which is a push-button for him. You'll love the fight! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yes, the Nanite Generator was created with good intentions: To heal injured people. You bet that it won't be used for a good purpose in Virus's hands. Bobby's little tantrum was to show how far unhinged he's become. It's funny and spooky. At least…I think so. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

_To Haretrigger: Hey there, Haretrigger! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, Bobby Drake is losing it more and more each and every day. He's just **itching** to take out his newfound rage on something or someone. Oh yeah, Virus has arrived, baby! I can see Bobby give Virus a good reason to be afraid. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Thesis of a Black-Winged Angel"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Gifts and Curses" and I loved it! New Mutants in college, and Warlock finding a new friend. Nothing better than that. The battle has begun. Freedom Force versus Virus, Round One! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of th Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yes, Bobby's mind is growing more and more unhinged. He'll snap soon. I got a couple more storylines to deal with. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To the pilot of eva unit 04: Hey there, Eva! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad you liked the story so far. I recommend you read todd fan's Sidney Chronicles. This story is part of that continuity. The X-Men will appear in the future. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to beta-read more from you!_

**Disclaimer: "David, are you drunk?" - Miss Miller, A Chipmunk Adventure**

Chapter 22: Viral Brawl!

**Dr. Winter's Lab**

"Who is that?" Dr. Winter exclaimed.

"Virus." Ace snarled.

"Looks like a scrawny little geek to me." Bobby smirked, crossing his arms.

"Hand over your device, human." Virus snarled. "You organic tyrants' day has finally ended!"

"End _this_, you psycho!" Karma snarled. Her eyes started to glow pink.

"Oh, boy." Rictor gulped.

"Get down, doctor!" Fontaine shoved Dr. Winter to the ground.

"What's with Shan's eyes?" Bobby wondered.

"Shan's mutant power is the ability to control minds, remember?" Ace reminded the ice-maker.

"Hey Virus! Time for you to do a stupid dance!" Shan growled. She shot a beam of pink energy from her head. The beam hit Virus right in the middle of his banded forehead. Virus smirked as Shan's mind attempted to connect and dominate Virus's. "Uh…I…can't…get into his mind!"

"My dearest Karma, you must take me for a fool." Virus smirked. "You really believed I would not remember all the times we battled?" The insane Brit burst out laughing. "I invented a device to protect me head from being taken over by the likes of you."

_You know, a part of me doesn't seem to mind that in the least._ Shan muttered to herself mentally. _The last time I took over Virus's mind, I had to take a lot of showers._

"Hey Virus! Protect yourself from _this!_" Rictor roared as the muscles on the young Mexican's arms appeared to bulge slightly with sonic power. Ace's right eye and claws glowed blue as he snarled. Bobby's fists glowed with blue energy.

"BLAST HIM!" Bobby roared. Bobby let rip with two ice beams. Ace's claws fired blue laser beams, and Rictor's hands released waves of sonic energy.

"Yipe!" Virus's jetpack created an electronic green-colored energy aura around him. "NYEARGH!" The blasts scored a direct hit, knocking Virus back. The aura protected Virus from the sonic waves and lasers, but he found himself trapped under a heavy layer of ice. "What the?"

"Going down, Virus?" Bobby smirked. The weight of the ice was too much for Virus's jetpack to handle, and it caused Virus to fall toward the ground, screaming.

"It'll take more than a hunk of ice and a fall from a great height to stop that loony Virus." Shan growled. She ran out of the room. "I'm getting the others."

"We'll intercept him!" Ace, Bobby, and Rictor ran out of the room.

"Come, Dr. Winter." Fontaine took the device and helped Dr. Winter up. "We must take steps to move your device. Virus will stop at nothing to get it."

"That Virus is…so…is so young." Dr. Winter blinked. "You told me he was a techno-terrorist."

"When someone has Virus's insanity, his determination, his genius, and his talents, thy can accomplish quite a lot." Fontaine responded. "Besides, he doesn't think of himself as a terrorist. He thinks of himself as a freedom fighter. He believes machines are being oppressed." Meanwhile, in the waiting room, the rest of Freedom Force were snoozing or occupying their time.

"Guys, wake up! Virus is attacking!" Ace yelled as he, Bobby, and Rictor raced by.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzz…" Kyle jerked awake. "Hey what where huh beat up jabroni!" He ran to the other snoozing kids. Even Shiro had fallen asleep. Kyle smirked evilly. He slapped Shiro across the face, waking up the Japanese teenager rather rudely.

"HEY! You baka!" Shiro snapped, holding his cheek.

"Wake up the others, you jabroni! That idiot Virus is at it again!" Kyle snapped. He then ran off to join the others. A grumbling Shiro got up and set to work waking up the others. The four mutants raced out of the building. They found Virus

"NYARGH!" Virus broke his way out of the ice that held him down. "You bloody organics!" His jetpack transformed into a futuristic metal backpack.

"Oh, shut up!" Bobby snapped, creating two large spikes made of ice. "Eat icicle!" Bobby pitched the icicles at Virus. The British mutant smirked.

"Nice try, mutant." Virus smirked. A pair of tentacles tipped with three double-jointed fingers, like those of Spider-Man's foe Dr. Octopus, popped out of Virus's backpack. "Me Battle Pack always has surprises and gadgets for very occasion." The tentacles caught the ice spikes and crushed them effortlessly.

"You think a fancy techno-bag of tricks can stop me?" Bobby snarled. "_Me?_"

"Hey man, don't lose it! Virus is one mean hombre! We gotta be cool!" Rictor tried to calm down the ice-maker, but to no avail. With a war cry that sounded like an enraged animal, Bobby Drake charged toward Virus. As he charged, Bobby transformed into his icy form. He turned one of his fists into maces made of ice.

"STOP **THIS!**" Bobby roared. He nailed Virus right in the jaw. The blow knocked Virus into the air. A second pair of tentacles erupted from Virus's Battle Pack and hit the ground, stopping Virus's flight and holding him in mid air. A pair of machine guns sprouted up from the Battle Pack over his shoulders.

"Eat laser!" Virus mentally commanded the Battle Pack, and with a rat-tat-tat sound, the machine guns started firing blue laser bursts. Bobby stopped and created a small wall of ice in front of him, blocking the blasts.

"My turn!" Ace snarled, racing towards Bobby.

"Blast!" Virus growled. A group of what appeared to be chains made of electricity whipped out of nowhere from behind Virus. The chains wrapped around the tentacles, pulling them back. "AGH!" Kyle tugged on his construct chains.

"What's the matter, ya pencil-neck geek jabroni? Was the Thunderbolt underfoot?" Kyle teased as he pulled on his chains. Ace leapt into the air, using Bobby's shoulder and the top of the ice wall as steps to gain height. He fired his claw lasers, hitting and destroying Virus's guns. With a high-pitched scream from the insane mutant, Virus's tentacles whipped forward.

"HEY! LOOK OUT!" Kyle yelled. The tentacles sent Kyle flying forward. The electrokinetic slammed into Ace in mid-air, knocking them both to the ground. "Oh, the Thunderbolt's gonna be sore in the morning…"

"Thank God for my healing factor." Ace moaned. A screech was heard. Virus turned around and saw a black car race out of the building. A little rectangular window came down from Virus's headband over his right eye. The window displayed results of a scan. Virus's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"NO!" Virus yelled. "Bloody organics!" He moved to chase after the car, but… "ARGH!" He got ambushed by a couple streams of fiery plasma. "What?" He saw Sunfire fly in front of him.

"You shall not pass." The samurai scowled.

"I don't think so. Out of my way, organic." Virus growled. "WAGH!" Velocity zipped in and used tornado-powered punches to knock Virus's tentacles out from under him. "Agh!" John leapt out of nowhere and put Virus in a headlock. "Get off me, you savage!"

"Time for the baby to go to sleep!" John growled.

"I said, get off!" Virus howled. One of the tentacles grabbed John and pitched the Apache powerhouse into a charging Bobby.

"Oof!"

"Watch where you're flying, you big idiot!" Bobby snapped.

"After him!" Sunfire yelled. He, Rictor, and Velocity tried to charge the insane English mutant.

"I don't think so, organics." Virus smirked. A column made of light popped up from the back of Virus's Battle Pack. It erupted into a big, bright flash of light, blinding Freedom Force. "So long, you stupid Yanks!" Virus's backpack retracted the tentacles, and then morphed into a jetpack. The crazed English kid took to the air. Using a HUD built into his headband, Virus found the car that raced out of the building. A pair of tentacles popped out of the Pack and tore the roof of the car wide open. Karma was driving. In the passenger seat was Dr. Winter with the Nanite Generator in his lap. In the back seat, Fontaine and Lila pointed weapons at Virus. Fontaine had a pistol, and Lila had what appeared to be a futuristic crossbow.

"Hey, Virus! Infect this!" Lila crowed. Fontaine fired her pistol and Lila's crossbow fired what appeared to be yellow arrow-shaped blasts of energy. The crossbow was a souvenir Lila picked up during her time in space. An electronic green energy aura appeared around Virus. The aura deflected the bullets and laser arrows.

"Ha!" Virus cackled, firing a pair of missiles from his pack. The missiles hit the ground in front of the car, causing it to veer out of control, and the passengers to scream. Virus cackled as he sent one of his tentacles into the car, snatching the Nanite Generator! "Thank you, Dr. Winter! You just helped spell the end of your organic kind!"

**_Next: Aftermath! _**


	23. Aftermath Again!

**Black Ice**

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! You'll see what Virus will do with the Nanotech down the line. As for how he could be so prepared, let me explain. Virus is often underestimated because he's nuts and arrogant. But he's also intelligent. Very intelligent. He's not a dope. You also have to assume Freedom Force and Virus battled before the events of "Black Ice", so he'd remember and be prepared. Bobby's presence did surprise him, but Virus is a quick thinker. He'd recover fast. As for what Virus plans to do with the nanotech, he said it himself: The nanotech will be used towards ridding Earth of all organic life. Oh, you can **bet** Bobby will not be happy. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, it can be tough keeping track of all those plotlines. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Draco-luver: Hey there, Draco! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh, you can bet that this is not going to be good. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Gifts and Curses", and I loved it! Insanity and an unhappy reunion! And this isn't really a cliffhanger. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

**Disclaimer: "Good, bad, I'm the one with the gun." - Bruce Campbell as Ash, Army of Darkness**

Chapter 23: Aftermath!

**Freedom Force HQ**

In some of the wooded area around Freedom Force HQ, one member of the government-trained mutant tam was throwing an equivalent of a temper tantrum.

"RAAAAAAAARRRRRR!" Bobby roared angrily. He punched a tree with a blue-glowing fist. The tree froze solid on impact, and it collapsed. "RAAAAAAAAAGH!" Bobby performed his 'Flash-Freeze Punch' on another tree, freezing it and bringing it down. "All that power…All…my…power…and I couldn't bring down a little GEEK! AAAAAAAAAARGH!" He felled another tree the same way he felled the last two. "I'LL KILL HIM! HE WILL DIE! RARRRRRRR!"

"Yipe!" Ace had walked into the woods to check on Bobby. He had seen one of the frozen trees fall almost on top of him. Luckily, the ever-cool feral mutant managed to use his enhanced agility to roll out of the way.

"NARRRRRRGH!" Still in his tantrum, Bobby fired a blue energy beam at Ace from his fist.

"Wah!" Ace barely managed to dodge the energy beam. "Bobby! Calm down! It's me, you lunatic!"

"Nrg." Bobby growled, breathing very deeply, baring his gritted teeth. "I should've beat him…I should've beat him…I SHOULD HAVE BEAT HIM!" Bobby roared in rage and felled another tree. "I HAVE ALL THIS POWER! WHY DIDN'T I BEAT HIM?"

"Whoa, hey! We're all feeling it!" Ace tried to calm down the enraged ice-maker. "Look man, we're all a little bummed out, a little frustrated."

"You have no idea." Bobby grumbled.

"Look, Bobby. You didn't do too bad out there, bro." Ace reassured. "You sure gave Virus a shock."

"It wasn't enough!" Bobby snapped. "I was too weak! I wasn't strong enough to stop him!"

"You weren't fighting him alone, Bobby. We work as a team, dude." Ace explained. "Besides, Virus is a wily little worm. He comes off as a psychotic little self-centered idiot, but he's actually very smart and very wily. He believes in preparation. You shocked him, but he recovers quick. He's a tough little jerk." The feral ran a hand through his mane-like two-tone hair. "We've had our share of wins and losses when it comes to him."

"That's not the point, Ace!" Bobby yelled. "This is not about wins and losses! I left the X-Men because they made me feel weak and useless. I have been constantly trying to improve and strengthen my powers! I am not weak! I will not be thought of as weak! But I couldn't beat Virus! I'm weak!"

"Even the strongest fighters get beaten on occasion!" Ace told Bobby. "Take Magneto, for example. The X-Men beat Magneto a couple times, and I heard that _he's_ no slouch in power. And what about Pickles? You whooped him good."

"Only because I had Velocity and Thunderbolt." Bobby growled. "I didn't beat him alone. I wasn't powerful enough alone."

"That's why Freedom Force is a team." Ace the ice-maker. "Sometimes, it's best to have friends help you." Bobby sighed and walked away.

_He doesn't get it. He just doesn't get it. He's not listening to me._ Bobby sighed. _Why isn't he listening to me?_ Bobby trudged into the HQ. He walked into a computer room. He saw Lila typing at a computer.

"Blast!" She growled, hitting the desk with her fist. "I shouldn't be surprised! That little bag of snot is quite talented at covering his tracks on the Net."

"What're you talking about?" Bobby wondered.

"One of Virus's powers is the ability to transform himself into living binary code. In that state, he can actually enter and interface with electronics, including cyberspace itself." Lila grumbled. "He can hide anywhere in the world, and he can't be found unless he wants to be. The wonders of the Internet."

"Never imagined you for a techno-geek." Bobby smirked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Lila smirked at the ice-maker. "I spent a lot of my life in space. I've learned quite a lot of stuff out in the big black yonder. You'd be surprised what I can do, Bobby."

"Yeah, yeah." Bobby muttered. "What I'd like to know is, why would Virus steal a whole bunch of nanites? According to you guys, he's a technological genius. Why couldn't he just _build_ some nanites himself? He probably could."

"Classic reason, Drake." Lila shrugged. "Why should Virus build? Dr. Winter did all the work. Just take it."

"But for what?" Bobby blinked.

"That's probably the one aspect of him that _is_ predictable." Lila shrugged. "Everything he does is toward one goal: The destruction of organic life."

"The Nanite Generator needs to be _programmed_ to even _touch_ organic cells!" Bobby growled. "And that thing only had enough nanites to repair a patch of skin."

"Yeah…" Lila ran a hand through her long black hair. Bobby growled.

"He wouldn't have had that thing if I was stronger…" Bobby muttered. "I need to be stronger…" Lila blinked.

"What're you talking about?"

"I wasn't powerful enough to stop Virus." Bobby growled.

"You didn't fail, Bobby." Lila re-assured. "Virus is a cunning little jerk. His mind combined with his powers makes him one dangerous guy."

"If I was stronger, I could have wiped him right off the face of the Earth!" Bobby snarled. "And that psycho wouldn't have the generator!"

"Maybe you should go train with John." Lila suggested. "He hits the bag whenever he gets frustrated. Of course…the bag usually is sent flying several hundred feet." Bobby rolled his eyes.

"I don't think Thunderbird would b interested in training with me." The ice-maker left the room. He walked down the hall a little ways, then punched the wall. _I need to be stronger…I can't be weak…I'm not weak anymore…_

**A warehouse in an unknown location**

The warehouse was empty, completely threadbare…except for a table, a chair, a laptop, and a lamp. The lamp shone on the Nanite Generator. A black shadow covered in electronic green binary code leapt out of the laptop, and then transformed into Virus. The insane Brit smirked.

"Stupid Freedom Force…" Virus smirked. "They're just like all other life forms: stupid."

**_Next: More Adventures with Freedom Force!_**


	24. New Recruit!

**Black Ice**

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Slugs and Snails" and I loved it! Evil Jamie thinking he's William Wallace, and a streaking Wanda. Man, they **must** be going crazy from the heat! Yeah, the madness is really starting to sink in for poor Bobby. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, you can bet that it's not good. Bobby's losing it more and more all the time. Here's more for you! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm agree with you. It's very sad to see Bobby take it this far. But, you have to look at it from Bobby's point of view. He's holding in all this anger and bitterness, and it's affecting his judgment. He doesn't want to make friends with Ace because he thinks Ace will betray him like he thinks Sam and Liz did. He's constantly trying to improve and strengthen his powers because he feels his powers are all he has. His powers like never betrayed him. As far as Bobby is concerned, as long as he has power, he has no need for friends or family. As for Lila's being techno-savvy, according to Lila, she's spent a lot of her life in space. It's understandable that she may have been exposed to a lot of alien technology, and she grew to understand it, and adapt to Earth tech. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

**Disclaimer: "NOOOOOOOO! WHY GOD WHY?" - Eric Cartman, ****South****Park**

Chapter 24: New Recruit!

**Freedom Force HQ**

Several weeks had passed since Virus had stolen the Nanite Generator. Despite Lila's best attempts, the crazed English mutant could not be found. The members of Freedom Force occupied themselves as best they could. They did have some minor missions to keep them occupied. But the young mutants grew bored.

"Man, where is Ace, Terrell, Shiro, and John?" Rictor asked as he walked into the living room. Lila was sitting on an armchair, typing away on her laptop.

"They're on a mission. Fontaine didn't need the whole team." Lila told the young Hispanic sonic-generating mutant. "Besides, she wanted me to stay behind and work on finding Virus." A bleep came from Lila's laptop. "Aw, _man!_ I _still_ can't find that little bag of puke! I tell you, whatever Virus is using to conceal himself, it's something I've never seen before.

"Man, the Thunderbolt would _kill_ for a rematch against that pencil-neck geek Virus!" Kyle muttered as he walked into the room from the kitchen, holding a small dish that had a sandwich, and a drink. He leapt over the back of the couch, and landed on his side, not spilling one drop of his drink, and not dropping his sandwich.

"How do you do that, Kyle?" Rictor's jaw dropped. The Boston-born electrokinetic smirked at the Hispanic sonic generator.

"Wildfire Family Secret, jabroni. You want to know, marry into the Thunderbolt's family." Kyle picked up the remote and turned on the TV.

"The California Wrestling Federation is proud to present Wednesday War-Bash!" The announcer on the TV yelled. Kyle grinned widely.

"Alright!" Kyle grinned. "The main event tonight is a 4-Way Steel Cage match! Captain Bonecrusher vs. Crazy Carl vs. Major Mayhem vs. the Executioner! This is gonna rock!" Karma walked into the room.

"Has anyone seen Bobby?" The Vietnamese girl asked.

"He stomped out of here, muttering about getting some air." Kyle shrugged. "That jabroni really needs a woman."

"I'm going out to look for him." Karma said as she put on a coat. "He might be in trouble. Walking around acting like he does…"

"It shouldn't be too hard to find him. Who else around here wears a black trenchcoat and has a 'you-will-die' look on his face all the time?"

**Downtown ****Los Angeles**

Bobby Drake, dressed in jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a black trenchcoat, walked down a back alley. His head was down, and his ice blue eyes were covered by blue-tinted sunglasses. He was walking around for some fresh air. He heard a scream. The ice-maker raced to the source. He saw a thief playing tug-of-war with a woman.

"Gimme your purse, lady!" The thief snapped.

"Help me!" The woman screamed. The two heard whistling. "Huh?" Before she knew it, she saw what appeared to be an icicle flying towards her and the thief.

"Wha-? AIE!" The thief moved his head back as the icicle grazed his face. "That…th-th-that was meant to hit me!"

"The next one _will_ if you don't back off!" Bobby Drake snarled as he walked out of the shadows in his icy form. The woman screamed, tugged away her purse, and ran off. The thief stammered as a snarling Bobby edged closer to him.

"Uhhhhuhuh! Yipe!" The thief tried to run off, but Bobby stopped him by throwing an icicle in front of him. The thief stopped and fell backwards. He screamed as an icy Bobby grabbed him and slammed him against the wall. "No! Please! I surrender!" The ice-covered teenager punched him hard in the gut several times. "AWWWWWW!" The rage-filled teen then socked the hapless thief across the mouth, and finally pitched him hard into another wall. "Please! No! Y-y-you're crazy!" Bobby snarled as he picked up a garbage can.

"You have no idea." Bobby growled. He took one mighty swipe and smashed the thief upside the head with the can, knocking him cold. Bobby dropped the can and breathed heavily. "Punk." Bobby walked out of the alley, going back into his human form. Bobby continued walking as the sounds of sirens could be heard behind him. He walked down the street some more, until he came to a park. The ice-maker saw a young couple sitting a park bench, staring at the stars together. He stopped when he was right across from them and stared forlornly. The couple noticed him.

"Is something wrong?" The man asked. Bobby sighed.

"No. I just want something." Bobby sighed. "I want the two of you to answer a couple questions." The ice-maker's face contorted into an expression of intense rage. With a roar, he grabbed the woman and threw her hard into the grass behind him. Before the man could react, Bobby socked him in the gut and the jaw, and threw him onto the ground on top of the woman. With another roar, the ice-maker blasted the couple with an ice beam, encasing them up to their heads in ice. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME?" Bobby roared at the frightened couple. "NO ONE EVER CARED ABOUT ME! NO ONE EVER LOVED ME! EVERYONE BETRAYED ME, AND YOU PARADE YOUR HAPPINESS IN MY FACE!" Tears flowed down Bobby's eyes. "WHY NOT ME? WHY CAN'T I BE HAPPY FOR ONCE?" The teary-eyed ice-maker put his hands in front of his face as he stepped back. He then yelled out into th sky and left on an ice slide.

**A Cliffside**

Bobby Drake sat on a cliff, staring at the city.

"It's not fair…" Bobby mumbled to himself sadly. "It's not fair…It's not fair…It's just not fair…"

"Bobby?" Bobby turned his head and saw Karma walk up to him. "Bobby, I've been looking all over for you. What happened to you? Are you alright?" Bobby's face turned back into its hard demeanor.

"I'm fine." Bobby grumbled. "I just…did some soul-searching.

**Freedom Force HQ**

Karma and Iceman returned to the house that served as the government-trained team. Bobby had disappeared into his room right then and there. A few minutes later, there was a knock. The Vietnamese mind-controller answered the door. She found Contessa Fontaine at the door. With her was a young girl with long black hair, no older than thirteen or fourteen, dressed in a solid green costume. She looked like she didn't want to be seen.

"We have a new recruit." Fontaine said simply. Kyle noticed the girl as he passed by. The electrokinetic's jaw dropped.

_Whoa…_Kyle gaped.

**_Next: More adventure with Freedom Force!_**


	25. Downtime!

**Black Ice**

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Who's the new recruit? Well, you should recognize her from "To Err is Human". Me and todd fan were talking and planning for her to be in this fic. She's a subplot. Well, I just did that whole scene to be symbolic. Will he freeze the hormones of anyone in his path? We'll see. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Gifts and Curses", and I loved it! That scene between a bearded Bobby and Piotr was nice. I think Bobby would be happy to know that at least a couple of the X-Men forgive him. Oh yeah, Bobby's going crazier and the new recruit is here! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yes, Bobby has some issues. You pretty much nailed right on the head why Bobby attacked that couple. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the identity of our new recruit. Indeed, Bobby took that fight with Virus hard. The loss was a blow to Bobby's ego and his pride. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, RogueFan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Apokolips Deferred", and I loved it! Man, something tells me that final battle is going to be very brutal! Speaking of brutal, I agree. What Bobby did was wrong. It was just that seeing that couple happily together set him off. It made him very jealous and reminded him of __Elizabeth__ and what he thinks she did to him. He can't talk to the X-Men because he thoroughly believes they will never listen to him or his side of the story. It's quite sad, really. But on a better note, oh yeah, our little Thunderbolt has his first crush. Too bad the girl's taken. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

**Disclaimer: "Mechanism appears to be jammed, sir." - Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data, Star Trek: The Next Generation**

Chapter 25: Downtime!

**Nick's Arcade, Los Angeles**

In an arcade, several of the older members of Freedom Force were having a good time in one of their favorite hangouts: Nick's Arcade. Nick's Arcade was a retro-themed arcade that also had a refreshment stand, a stage with a karaoke machine, several arcade games and pinball machines, including a couple games that had dancing pads. Ace Starr was conversing with a pretty girl, a redhead, at a table.

"Oh my gosh!" The redhead put her hands over her mouth. Evidently, Ace was regaling her with one of his stories of his wild life. "Were you hurt?"

"Nah." Ace shrugged with a smirk that showed off one of his fangs. "I got a…talent for recovery. I've always been tough to take down." Terrell Mason and Shan Coy had been playing one of those Dance Dance-type games.

"Forget it, Shanny!" Terrell teased. "You can't beat a speedster with game!" The African-American teen did a twirl like James Brown, running a hand through his cornrowed hair.

"This ain't about style, Terrell!" Shan smirked as the Vietnamese girl did a twirl of her own. "It's about endurance!" While the two were dancing and taunting, John Proudstar and Shiro Yoshida were settling a score with the help of a racing game.

"Ginger!" John yelled as the Apache powerhouse made his car slam into Shiro's.

"Mary Ann!" Shiro yelled back as the Japanese plasma generator slammed his own car back into John's. However, his mind was also puzzling over something else. _That girl…_The back of Shiro's mind started thinking. _Those eyes she has…they remind me of…they remind me of my own. I never thought I would see eyes like mine. She's been through what I went through. Perhaps…I can get to her. She needs someone. She needs a path. I know what she is after…because I've pursued it myself. _

"Mary Ann's a redneck!"

"Ginger is a brat!"

"Mary Ann's a dope!"

"Ginger is egocentric!" While the two boys were settling their great philosophical debate, a certain ice-maker was at the counter of the snack bar, getting some snacks.

"Thanks." Bobby Drake muttered as he took a tray with some snacks on it. The ice-maker noticed a kid walking up to him, carrying a tray of burgers stacked so high, he could barely see ahead of him. Bobby blinked. The ice-maker then put his foot on the ground in front of the kid, which created a patch of ice on the ground, and moved his foot out of the way. The kid walked on the patch. With a yell, he slipped on the ice and fell backwards, spilling his food everywhere. Bobby smirked. "Heh heh heh…moron…" The ice-maker walked over to a table where Lila was.

"Hey, Bobby." Lila smiled. "What're you up to?"

"Eat." Bobby mumbled. He sat down and started eating.

"You up and vanished last night. Where'd you go?" Lila wondered with some concern.

"Out." Bobby mumbled, his voice showing that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Did you hear about the new recruit?" Lila asked. "She seems nice, but that girl's not much of a talker."

"Mm." Bobby nodded. "I know her." _I guess the X-Jackoffs broke her out of Shaw's control. The only thing they could **ever** do right!_

"You do? Who is she?" Lila blinked. "She doesn't seem to want to talk about herself."

"She's related to some dopey guy I know." Bobby shrugged like he could care less. "She has plant powers or something like that, I don't bother caring." _Like anyone could stand up against me! I have become something far greater than anyone could ever imagine! _

"That's a harsh thing to say." Lila grimaced.

"I don't like talking about my past." Bobby grunted. "I only care about now. Thinking about my past is a waste of time. It's just full of people that don't matter to me anymore." He then noticed a kid walk by whose blond hair was like Sam's. Bobby clenched his fist until it turned white. _Must not kill…Must not kill…_

"You alright?" Lila blinked. Bobby scowled.

"I gotta get out of here before I lose it." Bobby grumbled as he left. Lila went after him.

**Freedom Force HQ**

Kyle Wildfire stared out the back window door. He was staring at the girl that several of his teammates had brought over from Cleveland. The young electrokinetic had noticed that the girl seemed to have strange powers. In a matter of moments, she had created herself a small garden.

"The chickie's got plant powers." Kyle blinked. Rictor noticed this. The Mexican sonic generator had just come out of the kitchen, as evidenced by his carrying a sandwich.

"What you lookin' at, man?" Rictor asked, biting into his sandwich.

"The new chick's got plant powers, jabroni." Kyle responded, pointing at the girl. "She just made that fancy garden pop up right out of nowhere."

"Whoa…" Rictor blinked. "She must be one powerful chica!" The Mexican mutant then noticed that Kyle was staring at her funny. "Yo, man! I see the way you look at her."

"What're you yakking about, jabroni?" Kyle grimaced.

"You like her!" Rictor grinned. Kyle's cheeks reddened.

"Heck, no!" Kyle retched.

"Yeah, you do!" Rictor teased, pointing at Kyle's cheeks. "You're blushing, man! You want her!" Kyle scowled as he walked outside. "Gonna give her a big kiss?"

"Right after the Thunderbolt sticks his boot right where the sun don't shine!" Kyle moved forward, and a laughing Rictor ran off in mock fright. "…Jabroni." He walked towards the girl, licking his fingers and using them to fix his hair. _Time to turn on that Wildfire Family Charm._ Kyle grinned. "Hey." The girl turned and blinked.

"…"

"The name is Kyle Wildfire, but everyone refers to me at the Thunderbolt." Kyle grinned. The girl blinked. "Kyle Wildfire, of the Wildfire Wrestling Dynasty. The Thunderbolt is third generation." The girl blinked at him like he was from outer space. "You…don't watch much wrestling, do you?" The girl just stood still at him. After a moment, she just shook her head. The young electrokinetic sighed, and ran a hand through his long brown hair. _This…is going to be harder than the Thunderbolt thought._ "Okay…" Kyle sighed. "What's your name?"

"…Gina." The girl sighed sadly.

**_Next: Night Travels and Bonding!_**


	26. Night Travels and Bonding!

**Black Ice**

_To Dragonic Soul: Hey there, Dragonic Soul! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yep, Gina has returned! I had planned to feature her in "Black Ice", and todd fan and I talked about it. So, here she is! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Haretrigger: Hey there, Haretrigger! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, Bobby's downward spiral is continuing. I really do agree with you. I do think that Freedom Force just may have more to worry about than just the evil of Virus. And yes, I brought in Gina Tolensky, aka Botanica. I had been wanting to bring her into the fic to reform her. Has she gotten her revenge on Shaw yet? Nope. She hasn't. But she wants to. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To pauloj1983: Hey there, paulo! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad you liked seeing this new side of the Iceman. I'm a fan of todd fan's Sidney Chronicles, and when I read about what happened to Bobby in "To Err is Human", I was inspired to write "Black Ice". I thought it would be a great chance to show that Bobby Drake, a character who is often portrayed as a goofy joker and/or a moron, has a darker side to himself. So, I started talking to todd fan about story ideas, and here we are. Will there be confrontations? Oh yes, I do have confrontations planned, and trust me, they will not be pretty. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yep, Gina's here! I've wanted to bring her in for quite some time. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yep, Gina is here in Freedom Force! Actually, I don't think she actually "broke up" with Jamie. Oh yeah, she's just arrived, and already she has a suitor in one Kyle Wildfire. Oh yeah, Bobby's getting worse. I think Lila just went out to make sure he calms down. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To SperryDee: Hey there, Sperry! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yes, I just introduced a classic twist! I think Bobby **does** recognize Gina, he just doesn't care. He's too caught up in his own problems. Will Gina fall for Kyle's flirting? That is a secret. She may, but she may not. She still does love Jamie, you know. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yes, Gina is here! Yeah, you gotta love the discussion between Mary Ann and Ginger. It's one of those age-old arguments that will never be settled. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

**Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I had computer problems! Thank you for your patience!**

**Disclaimer: "We rock!" - Ronnie James Dio.**

Chapter 26: Night Travels and Bonding!

**A local Wal-Mart, a week ago**

Bobby Drake stood in the electronic section of the local Wal-Mart. He looked at the racks of CDs. The young mutant occasionally picked up a CD and read the back of it before putting it back. He noticed a kid staring at him. The ice-maker scowled.

"Get out of my face!" He snapped sharply, making the kid run off. _Stupid kid.__ God, I hate them._

"Hey Bobby!" Ace walked up to him.

"What do you want?" Bobby grunted.

"Here. I think you may like this band." Ace handed Bobby a CD. The ice-maker looked at it. The front cover depicted a black-and-white photo of a crowd. On top of the crowd photo was an odd yellow-and-black picture that looked like a brain. Bobby read the band name and album name on the cover.

"Queensryche…Operation: Mindcrime?" Bobby blinked up at Ace. The feral shrugged.

"I think you'll like that group." Ace shrugged with a smirk. "I heard the song 'I Don't Believe In Love' on the radio, and I figured that band is very for you, man. Take a listen at the station over there. I think you'll like it." Ace pointed over to a listening station with his thumb. Bobby blinked for a second, and then shrugged. He took it over to the listening station, and scanned it in. The young ice-maker listened to the music clips that the station played. He closed his eyes and let the lyrics flow into his head. A smirk formed on his face.

**Present day**

Night had fallen over a park in Los Angeles. Bobby Drake walked along a beaten path, head down, a CD player in his hand, and headphones in his ears. The sounds of the Queensryche song "I Don't Believe In Love" blew into his ears.

_Man, Ace was right._ Bobby mentally admitted. _This band **does** fit me. It feels like Geoff Tate is singing about me._ He walked by a couple, and looked at them as they walked past him. This time, Bobby was able to hold in his anger. Instead, a tear fell down his eye. _It's not fair._ The ice-maker mentally muttered. _That'll never be me. I had my shot at finding love, but it failed! I'll forever be alone. It's not fair. I'm not a bad guy. I deserve a chance to find some happiness! But I'll never get it, will I? Nooooooo. Nobody wants Bobby to be happy! Everybody else can be happy, but Bobby never can! It's not fair!_ Bobby struggled to hold back tears as he continued walking. _Why? Why can't I be happy? Why am **I** doomed to be miserable all the time? Why why why? It's not fair! I'll **never** be happy! _

**Freedom Force HQ**

In the kitchen of Freedom Force's headquarters, Gina Tolensky was getting herself a glass of milk. The only light in the room was the light over the sink. She sat down at the table.

"Can't sleep?" A voice asked. The Italian-American plant-manipulator looked up.

"Who is it? What do you want?" She narrowed her eyes. Shiro stepped out into the light. "…Oh."

"Yes." Shiro nodded. "Can't sleep?" After a moment, Gina nodded.

"…Mm-hmm." The girl nodded, running her hand through her black hair.

"Care to talk about it?" Shiro offered, taking a seat across from her.

"…" Gina shook her head. "…I don't want to." Shiro shrugged.

"It may help you." Shiro offered again. Gina looked up at the Japanese plasma generator.

"…I thought everyone says you're the least empathetic of the group." Shiro shook his head at Gina's statement.

"They only look at my exterior." Shiro explained. "I just happened to be a rather disciplined person…except for the times that Kyle has managed to rouse my temper. I used to have a rather terrible temper." Gina blinked. "Some say my old fury still shows at some times."

"…Okay." The Italian-American girl blinked. Shiro nodded. "Well…they say I have a bit of a temper sometimes myself."

"Indeed." Shiro nodded. "…Perhaps you would like to talk about what is bothering you."

"How do you know something is bothering me?" Gina wondered.

"The way you have been acting." Shiro explained. "I can tell. Your spirit is under duress. Something deep bothers you."

"…You really could tell, huh?" Gina blinked. Shiro nodded.

"If it is Thunderbolt, do not worry. We all just ignore him when he decides to act up. He cannot stand to be ignored." Gina shook her head.

"No, Shiro. It's not Kyle." Gina answered. The girl had gotten to know the rest of her teammates, but she didn't talk to them much. "He thinks he's some kind of lothario."

"Looks like you brought out a new side to the Thunderbolt." Shiro smirked, obviously amused. "Let me guess. You have…as you Americans would say…shot him down." Gina nodded.

"Yeah." She sighed sadly. "I have no room for others in my life. I can't afford it. I'll destroy them." Shiro blinked.

"…I do not understand." Gina looked up at Shiro.

"I'm a cold-blooded killer, Shiro. I'm a monster." Gina explained. Shiro furrowed his brow.

"…I highly doubt that." The Japanese mutant replied curtly.

"Yes, I am." Gina sighed. "I murdered people. The Hellfire Club made me into a killer."

"You were not in control, Gina." Shiro said simply. "I have heard about what happened to you from Fontaine. You were merely a sword. A sword cannot decide not to shed blood and whose blood to shed."

"That's not the point." Gina shook her head. "_I_ still killed innocent people. That blood is on _my_ hands. That's why I can't sleep. I can see those people in my nightmares. They torture me. They call me a monster. They say I will never be forgiven." Shiro put his hand on her shoulder.

"That is not true." Shiro said. "Monsters do not regret."

**_Next: Steeler's Wheel! _**_Virus appears again, and he goes after a device that can create organic steel, the same kind of steel that made the X-Man Colossus practically invincible! Now Freedom Force must race against him to get the device! Can they get it before he does? Find out next!_


	27. Stealer's Wheel!

**Black Ice**

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Don't worry. Gina will get better. Her future will get brighter. She'll be fine. You'll see Virus get whupped again! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I thought Bobby would like Queensryche. They're a good band, and their songs fit Bobby right now in tone and mood. Emotionally, Bobby is a wreck right now. He won't talk to anyone because he thinks he has no one. How can a man let go of his inner demons when he believes those demons are all he has? Yeah, Shiro would bond with Gina. He's more like her than you think. I don't think Kyle would be jealous. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I wanted Shiro and Gina to bond. Shiro understands her better than she realizes. They'll have more of a brother-sister relationship, so Kyle won't be jealous. Besides, Gina's a little young for Shiro's taste. Will Gina like Kyle back? You'll see. Yup, Virus is back. And something tells me something bad will happen! I like that chase scene idea! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear form you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the last chapter of "Slugs and Snails", and I loved it! Man, that ending was surprising! Oh yes, Bobby's now a Queensryche fan. The music speaks to him, and when I hear their songs, I think of Bobby in the state he is now: Angry, lonely, bitter, and emotionally wrecked. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Gifts and Curses", and the musical on that web page you showed me!_

**Disclaimer: "I always know the mirror never lies." - Queensryche, from the song "Eyes of A Stranger"**

Chapter 27: Steeler's Wheel!

**Freedom Force HQ, the next morning**

Bobby Drake walked into Freedom Force HQ. The sun was rising. He walked through the spacious kitchen, when he noticed Lila Cheney walk in, dressed in a white rock t-shirt and black shorts.

"Bobby?" Lila blinked. "What're you doing? Where have you been all night?"

"Out." Bobby muttered.

"Can't sleep?"

"…no." Bobby groused. "I just don't want to sleep."

"You should, Bobby." Lila crossed her arms and smirked at the ice-maker. "A good night's sleep does a person good."

"I don't care."

"And it also helps you be less cranky." Lila smirked.

"I _like_ being cranky." Bobby muttered. "Out of my way." He shoved past Lila.

"Hey!" The interstellar teleporter snapped. "What's your problem, Bobby? You're constantly angry, you act like a jerk, and you've been spending quite a few nights out lately. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing." Bobby growled. "Leave me alone."

"Bobby, there's something going on with you." Lila said. "Why won't you talk about it?" Bobby glared at her.

"You wouldn't understand, Lila. No one does."

"Understand what?" Lila blinked.

"None of your business." Bobby growled, trudging up to his room. "Just leave me alone!" He growled loudly. Lila shivered.

"Did someone leave a window open?" Lila shivered a little. Bobby sighed and he flopped on the bed.

_She doesn't understand. _The ice-maker mentally grumbled._ Why are these people bothering me? Why can't they just leave me alone? I don't want friends! I want to be alone…_ He looked at himself in the mirror in his room. _…I can't be betrayed if I'm alone. Can't be turned on if I'm alone. I can trust myself. No one else. Everyone turned on me._

**Seattle, ****Washington****, A few days later**

Freedom Force was taking a helicopter to a scientific complex nearby Seattle.

"I don't get why I'm here." Gina grumbled at Shiro. "This doesn't have anything to do with the Hellfire Club."

"There are more important issues right now than them." Shiro told Gina. The two had grown to be friends rather quickly. Many surmise it had something to do with Shiro's past.

"Shiro, you know what they did to me." Gina reminded.

"Freedom Force is a team, Botanica." Shiro explained. "We work together on a mission."

"But they-"

"Gina, I know you want revenge." Shiro said to her. "But it's not the way. Revenge will not ease your pain. Only worsen it."

"He's not getting away from me again." Bobby growled to himself over and over. "Not this time…"

"You alright, man?" Ace put his clawed hand on Bobby's shoulder.

"He's not going to get away this time." Bobby snarled. "Virus is _not_ going to get away from me this time. I'll get him! I'll make him **_pay_** for humiliating me!"

"Calm down, dude." Ace chuckled. "Don't worry about it. You know what your problem is, man? You're worried about getting him yourself. We're a team, man. We work together." Bobby glared at Ace.

"The X-Men were a team, too. And they treated me as a blasted joke. I prefer doing things myself." Bobby grunted.

"But what if you're in a situation, and you need help?" Ace wondered. Bobby shrugged.

"I'd rather die than ask for help." Bobby growled. "I'm not some weakling little punk! Only wimps ask for help, and I will _not_ be thought of as a wimp!"

"You know, Bobby…" Shiro started to remark. "A wise warrior always knows when to fight and when not to fight. A wise warrior also knows that sometimes, to win a battle, the warrior has to call upon friends."

"Screw you, Shiro." Bobby groused. "Friends only get in the way!" Shiro sighed and shook his head.

_I fear it may be too late for him._ Shiro sighed. _His anger clouds his judgment. He cannot even make a decision without losing his temper._

"Hey babe, how about the Thunderbolt take you for a pizza after this?" Kyle grinned at Gina. The Italian girl just shook her head sadly. The Bostonian electrokinetic sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Man, you don't want to do anything. Just brood. You're as bad as Anakin over there!" Kyle joked. Bobby made a move to jump up and smash the kid across the mouth, but Ace stopped him.

"What're we after, anyway?" Karma asked Fontaine.

"A device that can be used to create organic steel." Fontaine responded.

"Organic steel?" Bobby blinked. "One of the X-Jerks has the power to sheath himself in organic steel. His name was Colossus. He was the size of a dinosaur, and brains to match."

"Sounds like a real fun guy to be around." Thunderbird snickered. Bobby shrugged.

"He normally just stood around and picked his nose."

"And when he was in that state, he was practically invincible, right?" Fontaine asked. Bobby nodded.

"Guy could lift around 100 tons."

"WHOA!" Thunderbird's jaw dropped. "Not fair, man!"

"Just keep training, John. And give it time." Karma reassured. John muttered and crossed his arms.

"Anyway, organic steel is named because it's based on carbon, which is based on all life." Fontaine explained. "Organic steel is considered a dream material because it's cheap to make, and possibly as tough as adamantium."

"Another one of my old 'teammates' could testify to the glory of adamantium." Bobby smirked. "Wolverine. Half-man and half-animal. Emphasis on the 'animal' part."

"Can you be any more positive today, jabroni?" Kyle joked.

"Virus has been seen in the area." Fontaine explained. "We're supposed to stop him from getting the machine." She passed around a picture of it. It looked like an inkjet printer, but where the paper feed was supposed to be, it was replaced by a bugzapper-like device.

"Looks like a blender on top of a printer to me." Kyle shrugged. The helicopter landed in front of a white building. "Honey, we're home!"

"LOOK!" John pointed upwards. A cackling Virus streaked by in the air. He crashed through the roof of the building.

"OH NO! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM ME THIS TIME!" Bobby roared, changing into his ice form. Before anyone could react, Bobby created a column of ice, which pushed him up to the building's roof.

"Bobby!" Lila yelled.

"Bobby, get back here! Blast it!" Karma ordered.

**Inside the building**

"Arg!" A guard got knocked into a wall by a tentacle from Virus's Battle Pack.

"Ha! Pathetic!" Virus smirked. "Me fellow machines will find no challenge here." He sauntered up to the organic steel-making machine. It was covered by a laser cage. The insane mutant giggled as he reached for the keypad. He heard something whistle in the air. "What?" A long sharp object whistled through the air, and it went right through Virus's hand. "AAAAAAAGH!" The English lunatic screamed in pain. He grabbed his wrist.

"Not this time, Virus." A voice snarled. Virus looked up and saw Bobby march in, icy face and body oozing rage. "This time, I will beat you. I _will_ beat you…if I have to reduce this whole building to rubble!" Virus hissed as he pulled the icicle out of his hand. His expression of pain turned into an arrogant smirk.

"I don't think so, mate." Virus smirked, holding up his injured hand.

**_Next: Blizzard Brawl!_**_ Virus reveals a new power, but will it save him from an battle-obsessed Iceman?_


	28. Blizzard Brawl!

**Black Ice**

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, the battle is going to be amped up! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Right now, Robert Drake is very emotionally complicated. He doesn't want to ever get hurt again, so he's trying to shut everyone out. I do think you may be right about it being too late to save Bobby. Bobby probably joined Freedom Force for a lot of reasons. Maybe to use them to get his hands on the X-Men…but maybe he subconsciously desires friendship again, knowing he can't find it again in the X-Men. Virus's new power is logical considering what he's up to. Shiro **is** taking Gina under his wing. He sees something in her. They're more alike than you realize. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby's really distancing himself. He's got a lot of issues right now, and he's looking to take his anger out on someone. You'll love what Virus has up his sleeves. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Gifts and Curses"!_

**Disclaimer: "My cat's breath smells like cat food." - Ralph Wiggum, the Simpsons**

Chapter 28: Blizzard Brawl!

**Inside the scientific complex, Seattle, Washington**

Bobby Drake sneered at the sight. Virus held up his hand. The hole that Bobby's icicle had created was quickly growing smaller.

"I used some of the nanites I stole in meself." Virus explained smirk. "Instant healing factor."

"Cute trick." Bobby sneered. "One of my old teachers had that."

"I like to be prepared, mate." Virus chuckled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to continue with me divine mission."

"I wonder…" Bobby's eyes and fists started to glow blue. "How will you do that when I make you FREEZE!" Iceman quickly pointed his arms forward and opened his hands. A blizzard erupted from his hands, smashing Virus into a wall. Bobby's icy armor appeared around him as he charged the mad young inventor, roaring like an enraged animal. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" With a BOOM, Bobby smashed into Virus with a shoulder tackle like a football player. The mad English mutant's Battle Pack had created a protective chest plate for him. The rest of Freedom Force caught up with him.

"Oh, my God!" Karma exclaimed. Virus's Battle Pack formed a jetpack, allowing the crazed Brit to easily take to the air, leaving Bobby to fall.

"So long, human!" Virus cackled at a falling Bobby. He flew towards the organic steel generator. Bobby snarled.

"No…not again…NO!" Bobby howled in indignation. He was not going to let that arrogant snot Virus get the better of him again. Bobby was more powerful. He was stronger. He was going to crush Virus! The crazed ice-maker twisted his body in mid-air, and pointed his hands at the ground. He created an ice column/slide to catch his fall. "EAT ICICLE!" Bobby fired a swarm of icicles from his hands at the flying Virus. The Brit easily dodged them and flew inside the building.

"What?" Virus stopped when he saw Freedom Force standing around the organic steel generator, ready for him.

"You're not getting this machine, Virus!" Lila snapped, pointing her crossbow at Virus. The Brit snarled.

"**_NO!_**" Bobby roared. "HE'S MINE!" He fired a blizzard into the room, blowing a screaming Virus and Freedom Force about.

"BOBBY!" Fontaine yelled. "STOP!" Bobby stopped the blizzard, causing Freedom Force to be scattered everywhere, and Virus to be knocked through a wall.

"You crazy or something?" John snapped at the ice-maker. Bobby glared at the Apache powerhouse.

"Don't interfere." The ice-maker growled. "I'm not going to let him get away again."

"Hey, we're a team, man!" Terrell snapped.

"No, **_you're_** a team!" Bobby yelled. "I'm not weak like you! I DON'T NEED HELP!" With that, Bobby blasted Freedom Force, freezing them to the ground.

"Hey!" Lila exclaimed.

"You **are** nuts!" John realized. Bobby ignored the remark. He pointed at Virus, eyes glowing a demonic blue. He didn't notice Shiro using his powers to try and free himself.

"What're you doing?" Gina whispered to the plasma generator.

"Bobby has snapped." Shiro muttered. "He has got to be calmed down somehow."

"You're mine!" Bobby snarled at a recovering Virus. He sounded like a psychotic demon. He charged Virus with a yell. He smashed Virus into the ground and started pounding on the screaming Brit.

"Whoa." Kyle watched the beatdown. "The Thunderbolt says that he's seen great white sharks that're less vicious than Iceman!"

"Why'd he attack us, man?" A confused Terrell exclaimed.

"Evidently, Bobby is undergoing some kind of psychotic break." Shiro muttered.

"So, you're saying that Bobby's mind has cracked in two?" Ace blinked. Shiro nodded. The Japanese mutant looked at Gina.

"That could've been you, young plant-manipulator." Shiro whispered at a shocked Gina.

_Mio Dio…_ Gina mentally mumbled. _Could that be me? Could Shiro be right?_

"Listen!" Lila shushed. Bobby was screaming as he was pounding away at Virus.

"How do you like _that_, Cannonball?" Bobby yelled as he pounded Virus with another icy punch. "Huh? I'm talking to you, Sam! You punk! You smug son of a-!" He punched Virus again. Evidently, Bobby's anger was pushed so far, he was starting to see things. "You betrayed me! You betrayed me! I was your friend, man! _Why'd you betray me?_"

"What's he talking about? Who's Sam?" John wondered.

_Oh, no!_ Karma mentally realized. _He's having a breakdown! He's gone delusional!_

_Bobby has definitely become a major risk._ Fontaine realized. _I think we'll need to call Fury about this. Get him some help._

_What happened between him and Sam?_ Lila mentally tried to reason Bobby's ranting. _He told me about Sam, but it seemed that he had done something horrible to Bobby. What happened between them to make Bobby so hateful toward him?_ Meanwhile, Bobby pulled Virus up to his feet.

"I didn't mean to, Sam!" Bobby screamed as he smashed Virus through another wall. "Just listen to me! Let me explain! WHY WON'TYOU LISTEN TO ME?" Shiro managed to free John and Terrell.

"Hey babe, this is better than ECW!" Kyle quipped at Gina. Gina groaned.

"Bobby, calm down!" John and Terrell tried to hold back the crazed ice-maker. "Geez, he's freezing!"

"I can't get a real grip on him!" John groused. "Stupid ice!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Bobby screamed, throwing the powerhouse and speedster off him. The distraction was all Virus needed. The nanites in his bloodstream were already working to heal his wounds.

_Bloody flesh…so weak…_Virus growled as he got to his feet. Bobby paced towards him, but Virus blinded him with the same light trick he had used. "Suckers!" Virus cackled as he raced away. He ran into the room with the rest of Freedom Force. His Battle Pack formed a gas mask and goggles for him, and he threw a few smoke bombs. The smoke blew all over the room, disabling the heroes. Virus grabbed the organic steel generator and raced off, Bobby trying to pursue him. His Battle Pack went into its jetpack configuration, and he flew off. Bobby screamed in rage.

"NOT AGAIN! NOT AGAIN!" The mentally-frayed ice-maker screeched. Terrell and John raced in, and Velocity used his aerokinetic powers to push the gas outside. He then used his speed to free the others. He looked at a fuming Bobby.

"Yo Iceman, you alright?" Terrell looked at Bobby. Iceman's eyes and body started glowing blue. "Uh oh!"

"RUN!" Kyle yelled. The rest of Freedom Force made like bananas and split as Bobby screamed and fired ice beams, freezing the building solid. With one final scream, Bobby iced up his fist and punched a wall, causing the frozen building to tumble all around him.

"I think we're in big trouble." Karma gulped.

**_Next: Iceman's Fall!_**_ Virus does a little plotting, and Freedom Force deals with the aftermath of Bobby's breakdown._


	29. Iceman's Fall!

**Black Ice**

_To vasdrkangel: Hey there, vasdrkangel! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Thank you! I'm very glad you enjoyed the story so far. I'm a big fan of the Sidney Chronicles, so that's the reason why I wrote this side fic to them. You should read the Chronicles, particularly "To Err is Human". "Black Ice" starts after it. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby's breaking down. He doesn't want to talk about his anger, but he really needs to. Especially now. He can't afford to hold in his anger anymore, but Bobby doesn't want to trust. He feels he can't trust. It's a real shame. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Gifts and Curses" and your Knight's Tale parody!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby just couldn't hold in his anger anymore. He's mad at Virus for seemingly beating him, frustrated with his inability to catch him, and he's not willing to work with the other Freedom Force members to stop him. Yes, if you know Shiro's history from the comics, then you'll understand why I have him bond with Gina. Yeah, Gina's going to go on a new path by the time this story ends. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To DarkKnight92: Hey there, Knight! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad you liked the story so far. I'm a bit of a Psylocke fan myself. I have planned to put her in a future version of Freedom Force around the time of "Gifts and Curses". Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I fought tougher monkeys than you in my swaddlin' clothes!" - Dan "Terrible" Turpin, "World Without A Superman"**

Chapter 29: Iceman's Fall!

**A warehouse, location unknown**

"Hee hee…" Virus cackled as he leapt out of the laptop computer, holding the organic steel generator. "Oh boy, oh boy! I've got them! The nanites, combined with the amazing technology of this organic steel-maker, will be my fruition." He looked out a window, up toward the sky. "Me plan will come to fruition now. No one can stop me. And the oppressed shall have their world…"

**A beach in Los Angeles**

Bobby Drake sat on the sand, staring out at the ocean.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ The ice-maker groused to himself.

"Bobby?" A voice asked. Bobby looked up and saw Lila standing next to him. "…I've been looking for you everywhere. You disappeared."

"What's it to you?" Bobby grumbled.

"Bobby…" Lila sat down next to him. "…You had a breakdown. Don't you realize that?"

"I'm well aware." Bobby grunted. "And I don't care."

"Bobby, listen to me." Lila said. "People have breakdowns when they're under too much stress."

"I am _not_ under stress!" Bobby snapped.

"Bobby, listen to yourself!" Lila snapped back. "Look at yourself! Look at your actions! You're holding something in! Something deep is bothering you, and you won't let it go or talk about it! You're angry about something! What is it?"

"Leave me alone!" Bobby jumped to his feet. "Why are you trying to intrude on me?"

"Because you're in a bad position, and I want to help!" Lila got to her feet. "Why can't you tell me what's wrong with you?"

"Because you wouldn't understand, Lila." Bobby turned and started to walk away. "No one can." She grabbed his arm. "Let go of me!"

"How do you know, Bobby?" Lila said to the ice-maker. "How do you know that no one will understand?"

"I just do." Bobby's blue eyes narrowed. "And you wouldn't listen to me. No one listens to me." Lila's face showed her disbelief.

"I doubt that." Lila countered. "_I'll_ listen to you. Just tell me what's bothering you. You need to let this out. Let this anger go, Bobby. Look at you. Look what it's doing to you. It's hurting you."

"I can't." Bobby forced his arm out of Lila's grip. "Don't you get it, Lila! I _need_ my anger! I can't afford to let it go!" His eye spilled a tear. "It's all I've got, Lila. My rage is all I have. I'm nothing without it! I'm meaningless without it!"

"No you are not, Bobby." Lila tried to get through to the ice-maker.

"Yes, I am." Bobby walked away. "I can't trust anymore, Lila. I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life than be betrayed again." Lila realized what this was about.

"What did that Cannonball guy do?" Lila inquired. "What happened between the two of you? Why'd you leave the X-Men?" Bobby stopped.

"You wouldn't understand." Bobby answered. "You wouldn't believe me. _They_ didn't." He continued to walk.

**Freedom Force HQ**

Shan and the other members of Freedom Force sat around a table.

"I say we throw the psycho out on the curb." John grumbled.

"That's not cool, man!" Ace shook his head.

"You saw him, Ace." John grunted at the feral. "He was willing to kill _us_ just to get his hands on Virus!"

"Look…" Shan sighed. "Fontaine's reporting to Fury about this. What can we do with him?"

"I don't feel right doing this." Kyle grumbled. "The Thunderbolt thinks the least we should do is wait for Lila to get Anakin's butt here."

"She seems to have taken a shine to him." Ace snickered.

"Oh, please." Terrell groaned. "What would any woman see in Bobby Drake? Guy's moody, he don't like anyone…"

"Chicks dig guys with issues, jabroni." Kyle quipped. "Right, babe?" He grinned at Gina.

"If you say so, Thunderbolt." Gina shook her head with a sigh.

"It is obvious that Robert Drake is under some serious mental stress." Shiro noted.

"You think?" Rictor shot the Japanese mutant a look. "We need a shrink here or something."

"He won't go for it. We all know how he is about talking to people." Ace sighed.

"Why didn't anyone see this coming?" Gina grunted.

"We haven't been around for that long." Shan explained.

"And _no_ super-team, government or not, would expect someone like Bobby in their ranks." Ace chuckled, trying to enlighten the mood. Fontaine walked into the room.

"I reported to Fury." She announced. "Someone's coming over tomorrow to talk to Bobby."

"Wonderful. We gotta put up with him for another 24 hours." Terrell groused. "That guy has a lot of problems."

"You're still sore about the things he said about Dazzler, aren't you?" Rictor crossed his arms.

"Dang right, I am!" Terrell snapped.

"Huh?" A confused Gina looked up at Shiro.

"Before you joined." The Japanese mutant explained. "Terrell went out on a date with Alison "Dazzler" Blaire, the famous singer. Iceman said some rather…heartless remarks about her. He claimed that she thought of Terrell as just a possession she can throw away."

"Yeah." Terrell grunted. "Luckily, I got a thick skin. I enjoyed that date with her. She said that if she was in town again, she'd look me up. I'd like to see Bobby get himself a girl! But knowing him, he'd just start running his mouth and losing his temper."

"Easy, Velocity. Settle…" Ace calmed down the speedster. "Bobby has problems. Don't we all?"

"Yeah, but we don't all act like Bobby does." Velocity groused.

"He acts like we owe him. We saved his butt from the Wendigo!" John growled.

"Maybe we should wait." Shiro suggested. "Let the psychiatrist come and speak to Bobby. We'll know what to do with him then."

**Downtown ****Los Angeles**

Bobby Drake walked down a back street. He scowled at anyone looking at him.

_Stupid Lila._ The ice-maker muttered mentally. _How dare she? How **dare** she? How DARE she assume that I know what I'm going through? She had no right! NO RIGHT TO ASSUME! **She** never was betrayed! **She** has friends! **She** still has her family! My family dumped me, __Elizabeth__ lied to me and led me on, and the X-Men turned on me!_

"Bobby, come back here!" Lila ran up to the ice-maker.

"Leave me alone, Lila!" Bobby snapped.

"No way, Drake." Lila answered. "Bobby, something is seriously wrong with you!"

"Yeah, something is wrong with me!" Bobby snapped back. "You're bothering me! That's what's wrong with me!"

"Bobby, please. Just listen…" Lila begged.

"No! I'm **_tired_** of listening to people! I listened to my parents, and they dump me! I listened to my heart, and it was lied to! I listened to the X-Men, and they betrayed me!" An ice sculpture that was standing near Bobby melted as he ranted. The puddle of water that was left behind started to boil. "I'm not going to listen to anyone ever again! No one cared about me or what I thought, so why should I care about you, the others, or what anyone else thinks? Let me tell you something, Lila…I stopped caring." Bobby turned and continued to walk away.

"Look at you, Bobby!" Lila snapped. "You need help!"

"No, **_you're_** the one who needs…what the?" Bobby noticed something. "Hey Lila? What is that?" Bobby pointed at the roof of a museum. There was a figure on the roof trying to sneak inside. Lila noticed this.

"I doubt that's a janitor…" She turned and saw Bobby was gone. "Bobby?" She then saw him running toward the museum. "Oh no…" Lila groaned, taking off after him.

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 1: The Ice Cracks_**_ Iceman and Starway try to stop Mesmero from stealing a ring at a museum, but Mesmero causes Iceman to suffer another mental breakdown. A very destructive second breakdown… _


	30. Sapphire Twilight Part 1: The Ice Cracks

**Black Ice**

_To Haretrigger: Hey there, Haretrigger! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I got a little job myself, so I know what that's like. Actually, Bobby hasn't lost it yet. Not quite yet. I was inspired to write the "Sapphire Twilight" storyline by the Green Lantern storyline "Emerald Twilight". It may be too late to help, but you have to give Lila credit for trying. Oh yeah, Mesmero's going to mess with Bobby's mind some more. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Freedom Force is divided on the issue of Bobby's mentality. Some want him out, others want to get him help. Yeah, Lila does seem to be trying the hardest to get through to Bobby. If you read "Gifts and Curses" by todd fan, you'll see why she's fighting so hard to get through to him. Oh yeah, Mesmero is going to regret using his illusion powers on Bobby Drake. And it will **not** end well. Why do you think I called this storyline "Sapphire Twilight"? Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Lila cares about Bobby. She understands him a lot better than Bobby realizes. Look at her life in the comics. Why didn't Freedom Force contact the X-Men? Well, I think Fury wants to keep Freedom Force's existence secret from the X-Men right now. The X-Men don't like competition. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Gifts and Curses" and I loved it! Sam is an immortal, baby! Poor guy. He's got a great gift, but he's going to be driven crazy by the curse it also entails. I'm glad you liked the interaction between Lila and Bobby. They are awesome together. Oh yeah, I've been looking forward to writing this storyline! This is going to be great! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Gifts and Curses", and "Fourteenth Century Man"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, things are going to get way out of control! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Dragonic Soul: Hey there, Dragonic Soul! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I like to respond to my reviews. It's fun to do and it gives me a chance to clear up any confusion or add any additional information. I t gives reviewers the feeling that I like their reviews. And I do! Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "They're not going to like me when I get there." - Hal Jordan**

Chapter 30: Sapphire Twilight Part 1: The Ice Cracks

**Freedom Force HQ**

Contessa de la Fontaine walked into the meeting room, where the young mutants who comprised Freedom Force were sitting.

"Man, the Thunderbolt still don't feel right about this." Kyle sighed, shaking his head. "He still thinks he should've waited for Starway."

"Lila would stick up for him, and you know it!" John grunted, crossing his arms. "Can we go now? I want to hit something!"

"Always need to punch things, huh?" Rictor joked, crossing his arms.

"I had reported to Fury." Fontaine announced.

"So what do we do with him?" Terrell wondered.

"Well…" Fontaine began. "We cannot throw him out on the street."

"He's too unstable, and that'd be cruel." Karma nodded.

"I got no problem with it." John muttered.

"What do you say, Kyle?" Ace looked at Kyle. The young Bostonian grunted.

"The Thunderbolt's not saying anything until Lila comes home."

"Col. Fury suggested that we have SHIELD pick him up and do some psychological examinations on him." Fontaine interjected.

"I say we do that." Karma nodded.

"Ugh!" John growled, hitting the table with his fist. "You don't need a psyche test to show Bobby Drake's a lunatic!"

**A local museum in Los Angeles**

"Bobby!" Lila called as she ran inside the building. Since she had not been inside the museum much, she was unable to use her teleportation powers to get herself inside. She looked around the front of the lobby. "Bobby!" She called out, cupping her hands over her face like a megaphone. "BOBBY!" _Where is he?_ She thought with some panic. _Oh, no! If something happens and Bobby loses it again…I don't know if he can be saved. I gotta find him and stop him from doing something stupid!_

**The Museum's Egyptian exhibit**

"Ahh…" Mesmero smirked. Dressed in his usual robes, revealing his bald head and green tattoos covering his face and head, He walked up confidently to a stand. The stand displayed a ring that was sitting on a cushion. "Do not fear, my master. Nothing has been able to stand in our way. Now all I need to do is remove his ring, and you are one step closer to the freedom you crave." He noticed a snowfall. "Odd…a snowfall indoors…" A pair of double doors flew open, and a blizzard blasted Mesmero across the room, knocking him into the opposite wall.

"Grrr…" A growling Bobby Drake snarled. The young ice-maker walked into the room with a purpose, and a thirst for blood in his glowing blue eyes. He was in his ice form, but the tips of his fingers had extended into sharp icy claws. He smirked evilly at the mutant hypnotist. "Hello there. Pick your poison." He held up his icy claws. "Sliced…or diced? C'mon, I ain't got all day!" Mesmero smirked at the ice-maker as he got to his feet.

**The dinosaur exhibit**

"Man, this museum is so friggin' big." Lila grumbled as she ran through the dino exhibit. "Man, they _really_ need to put more maps in this place! I always get lost in museums! BOBBY! Where are you?"

**The Egyptian Exhibit**

"What're you so happy about?" Bobby sneered at the hypnotist.

"My master gave me great power. To help me subdue those who would stand in his way."

"Yeah. Sure." Bobby sneered. He heard a noise. "What in the name of…" Something collided into him at incredible speed. "That looked like…"

"Bobby?" A feminine voice said in a southern accent. The ice-maker's eyes widened and he turned around. He gasped, powering down to human form. "No…it's you…" Mesmero smirked.

**The Roman exhibit**

"Only in a museum can you jump several million years in a couple minutes." Lila quipped as she walked through the Roman exhibit and looked at a set of spears. She heard a noise. It sounded like a thump. A loud thump. Her eyes widened. "Bobby! Oh God!"

**The Egyptian Exhibit**

**_WHUMP!_**

"Argh!" Bobby Drake, now in his human form, grunted as he flew into a sarcophagus.

"Murderer!" The voice's source screamed. It belonged to a teenage girl, dressed like a biker, with long blonde hair, and several piercings on her face. It appeared to be Elizabeth Guthrie, aka Amazon, a member of Nightshift who had the power to grow to large size.

"No…" Bobby whimpered, shaking his head. "Please…please, Liz…let me explain…please…"

"What's the matter, young one?" Mesmero smirked. "Tormented by an old flame?"

"Shut up!" Bobby snarled at Mesmero. "Stop this!" He lunged for the hypnotist's throat, but Elizabeth grabbed him and threw him back against the sarcophagus.

"You murderer!" An enraged Elizabeth screamed, punching Bobby in the gut. "You murdered mah child!"

"I didn't know!" Bobby exclaimed, pushing her off. "Please, just listen to me GAH!" He got kicked in the chin.

"Ah hate you!" Elizabeth yelled, kicking Bobby in the gut. "Ah hate you! You twisted psycho! You tried to kill me! You're a monster!"

"I didn't intend to!" Bobby started to tear up as he angrily pushed Liz off. "Please, Lizzie! I loved you! I…I didn't mean to hurt you! I was just angry, and I just lashed out."

"Still doesn't change anything!" Lizzie snarled. She kicked Bobby in the gut again and started choking him. "You're a filthy murderer! Do you hear me?"

_I have to fight back!_ Bobby mentally growled, tears flowing down his eyes. _But…I can't! I can't! I can't hurt her again! I loved her! I still love her! I can't fight her because I'll hurt her again! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

**Near the Egyptian exhibit**

"I hope this is the one." Lila sighed. She heard a scream from a room. Her eyes widened. "Bobby! No!" She ran into the room and forced her way through the double doors. "Oh my God!" The entire room was frozen. Mesmero was laid out in front of a knocked-over tomb. Sitting in the middle of the frozen room was Bobby. He was rocking back and forth, his knees to his cheat, clutching his head, eyes and cheeks soaked with tears.

"No…no no no…no…no no no…" Bobby whimpered over and over.

"Oh, God…" Lila put her hands in front of her mouth. "Bobby!" She ran into the room, trying to avoid slipping on the ice. She knelt down next to the ice-maker. "Bobby, oh God! What happened? Are you okay?"

"Nnnnuh! Uhnnnh! Nuuuh!" Bobby whimpered, clutching his head tighter.

"Oh God!" Lila wrapped her arms around a rocking Bobby. "Hang on, Iceman…You'll be alright!"

"Neyyyuh! Nuuhhhh!" Bobby moaned, still rocking.

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 2: Frozen Rage_**_ Freedom Force decides to let Bobby rest at HQ while several members go out on a mission. But Bobby's decided the time is right for a little revenge…_


	31. Sapphire Twilight Part 2: Frozen Rage

**Black Ice**

**Author's Note: Hello to all my fans! This is L1701E! Sadly, due to new rules, authors are no longer allowed to write responses to their reviewers, so there will be no more review responses written by me. I hope this doesn't stop anyone from reviewing my stories, because I do appreciate them. Thank you for understanding, and enjoy this new chapter!**

**Disclaimer: "I want _more POWER!_" Green Lantern (Hal ****Jordan****), from Green Lantern #48**

Chapter 2: Sapphire Twilight Part 2: Frozen Rage!

**Freedom Force HQ**

**_FWAM!_**

In a flash of white light, Lila Cheney appeared in the middle of Bobby Drake's room. Her arm was wrapped around the waist of a struggling Bobby, and she had one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Uhhhnh!" Bobby howled. He struggled out of Lila's arms, leapt into a dark corner of his room, and started rocking again, moaning. "Uhhnh! Uhn! Nuh!"

"YOU GUYS!" Lila yelled as she ran out of Bobby's room.

**Some time later**

"How could you let him walk into a situation like that, Lila?" Karma snapped. She and the rest of Freedom Force were gathered in the living room, except for two.

"I didn't intend to, Shan!" Lila snapped back. "That robbery just happened! I don't know what made Bobby act like that, but I tried to stop him from getting hurt."

"Great job, Cheney." John grunted on the couch, crossing his arms.

"I'd like to see _you_ try, Proudstar!" Lila snapped at the Apache powerhouse. A growling John got up.

"Hey, cool your jets, you two!" Ace got between them. "Let's try _not_ killing each other, huh?"

"I **still** say we should throw the little loon out on the street." John grumbled.

"That's cruel, John!" Lila snapped in Bobby's defense.

"Why are you defending him?" The Apache warrior snapped at the dark-haired interstellar teleporter. "Are you crazy, too? When we last battled Virus, he was willing to _attack us_ just to get at him!"

"I think it's because she likes him, that's why." Rictor snickered. Lila glared at the young Hispanic sonic generator. "Oh come on, Cheney! We all know you've been leaping to that guy's defense ever since he first came here!"

"I feel sorry for him, okay?" Lila grunted. "Unlike that jerk Proudstar, I think he's just got a lot of issues."

"Straying from his path, the Jedi is." Kyle quipped. "Get back on the right track, we must help him."

"Oh, stop Yoda!" John groaned. "You think he's nuts, too!"

"Hey, that may be true, but the Thunderbolt likes the guy, jabroni." Kyle shrugged. "He reminds the Thunderbolt a lot of Anakin Skywalker. You know, young and troubled." Meanwhile, Gina was standing at the door of Bobby's room, staring. She actually was staring through the door, thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts, as the Western saying goes." Shiro looked at the plant manipulator. Gina turned and looked at the Japanese solar generator.

"What happened to him?" Gina wondered.

"I do not know. But I can deduce." Shiro shrugged. "My guess is, Bobby had gone through another emotional meltdown."

"_Another_ meltdown?" Gina's eyes widened. "Oh, God…"

"When I first met Robert Drake…he was a lot like you, Gina." Shiro remembered. "His eyes revealed an intense fire. Like you, he desires vengeance. In your case, against the Hellfire Club. In his…no one knows but him. His anger has grown like a cancer. He refused to let go of it…and I fear it may have consumed him."

"Shiro…I was thinking." Gina wondered. "I feel so guilty about what I did under Shaw's control."

"It was not your fault-"

"Yes it is, Shiro." Gina sighed. "Their blood is on _my_ hands. Shaw didn't kill anyone, _I_ did."

"You were a puppet, Gina. Nothing more. You were not responsible." Shiro countered. "Something about your ordeal confuses me."

"What?"

"Why did the Hellfire Club use you?" Shiro wondered. "There are lots of mutants out there. Why you? What was so special about you?" Gina sighed.

"My uncle Daniel joined the Hellfire Club, that's why." Gina growled. "He killed my grandmother, and then offered me up to Shaw, and they turned me into an assassin." A tear went down the Italian girl's cheek. "I murdered people, Shiro. I'm a killer. That's all I can do with my powers." Shiro shook his head.

"And you think you can redeem yourself by destroying the Hellfire Club?" Gina nodded at Shiro's question. The Japanese mutant shook his head. "I cannot allow you to continue down your path."

"Why?" Gina growled. "It's the only way!"

"It isn't, Gina. I have been there myself." Shiro explained. "Revenge only destroys. Bobby wanted revenge against Virus, and look at him now. Do you think murder is the answer? You did kill, but because you were not in possession of your own free will."

"When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a monster." Gina admitted. "Not Gina Tolensky. I don't see Gina Tolensky. I see an inhuman creature who wiped out innocent lives."

"You believe your honor is stained." Shiro noted.

"This isn't about honor."

"Yes, it is." Shiro stopped her. "This is about the fact that you were dishonored. You were under mind control when you first killed. You will have your free will when you go seek your revenge."

"I-!"

"Let's say that you _do_ achieve your revenge." Shiro suggested. "What then? What'll your future be?"

"I'll have my life back."

"No, you will not." Shiro warned. "You will be hunted. You _will_ have become a murderer. You _will _have sunk down to their pathetic level and become no better than they were. Can you imagine it, Gina? Can you imagine yourself living on the lam? Living as a fugitive all your life? And if you get caught…you'll spend the rest of your days in prison. Or perhaps get the needle, as it probably would work in your country. Your precious revenge will have destroyed your life. Do you want that?" Gina opened her mouth, but she stopped herself.

"…What do you mean?" Gina asked.

"What I mean is, revenge has a price, Gina." Shiro explained. "A price too high to pay."

"But they made me into a killer, Shiro." Gina remembered. "I couldn't fight it!"

"You couldn't." Shiro knelt down and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "No one is angry at you. I do not think you're a monster. You have a soul. The Hellfire Club will pay, but not like this. Gina, they used you as a sword. When a sword kills, the swordsman is held responsible, not the sword. You may have caused their deaths, but _they_ were the ones who caused that to happen. You couldn't do anything to save them or stop yourself."

"But…" Gina sighed. She looked down. "How can I live with what I've done?"

"Learn from it." Shiro answered. "Turn your tragedy into triumph."

"How?"

"That is up to you, my friend." Shiro's face let out a small smile. He walked off. Gina sighed.

_Maybe Shiro has a point._ Gina admitted to herself. _I hate the Hellfire Club for what they did to me, but…Shiro has a point. If I did kill them of my own free will…I'd be no better than them._

"Hey." A familiar Boston-accented voice piped up. Gina turned and saw Kyle standing there.

"What do you want, Kyle?" Gina grunted. Kyle shrugged.

"Just to tell you that Sushi over there has a point." Kyle added. "He and the Thunderbolt may not agree often, but he does have a point. As Grampa Wildfire once said, 'Revenge is like a lemon car: it looks great, but the inner workings are terrible and the price is too much'." Gina blinked. "Yeah, Grampa Wildfire was always pretty wise." Meanwhile, in Bobby's room, something bad was going down. The ice-maker was sitting in the corner of his room.

_Not again…not again__…_Bobby whimpered. _Not again…I got hurt because of __Elizabeth__ again…Why? Why does she haunt me? Why did she turn on me? God, it hurts…I got betrayed over and over…No more._ Bobby's eyes narrowed and started to glow. _Never again.__ I will **not** be betrayed. Never again. My family betrayed me…the X-Men betrayed me…Elizabeth betrayed me…Sam betrayed me…_ An evil smirk formed on the ice-maker's face. _I'll make them pay…It's time for them to face my wrath…I think I'll pay my old buddies a visit…they're not going to like me when I get back to Bayville…_ He started to cackle.

**A few minutes later**

"Humph!" John Proudstar huffed in indignation as he sat on the couch, watching TV. "The others get to go out on a mission and possibly kick some butt, and _I'm_ stuck here babysitting Mr. Crazy the Snowman."

"Tell me about it." Ace sighed. The feral mutant sat back in his chair and dialed up a number on a cordless telephone. "Now I gotta cancel that date I had tonight!" John smirked.

"Now you know how every other male on earth feels, Starr." John chuckled. "Which girl is it? The redhead? The blonde?"

"The one from Monaco." Ace answered, putting the phone to his face.

"Oh, man…" John rolled his eyes. Meanwhile, Bobby was watching them from his room. He was peeking at them through his door.

_Fools…_ Bobby smirked evilly. _Stupid fools…they have no idea what I have become._ His body went through a transformation…

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 3: Return to Bayville_**_ Bobby returns to Bayville, intent on enacting his revenge on those who have hurt him…_


	32. Sapphire Twilight Part 3: Return

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinkin'."**

Chapter 32: Sapphire Twilight Part 3: Return to Bayville

**The skies over New York**

A futuristic aircraft, emblazoned with markings indicating it was a SHIELD craft, flew over the fields of New York. Fontaine was piloting. In the jet were all the members of Freedom Force, in their costumes. All of them were there except for Thunderbird and Wildstar, who were watching over Iceman.

"Alright, everyone." Karma said to her fellow young mutants. "We have heard rumors that HYDRA may be…" As she laid out the mission, Lila was staring out a window. She wasn't really listening.

"Hey, Lila. Why the long face?" Terrell noticed. Lila sighed.

"I'm just thinking about Bobby." Lila answered. "God…what did he do to become who he is today?"

"Who knows." Terrell shrugged. "That boy was probably never right in the head to begin with."

"Probably." Lila shrugged. "But I can't help but wonder…what goes on in his head sometimes? What drives him?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious?" Terrell crossed his arms. "He hates everyone, and he constantly goes on about wanting to be alone."

"Yet he joined us." Lila remembered.

"I think that's pretty odd." Terrell nodded.

"I don't think he'll admit it, but I think he secretly doesn't want to be alone anymore." Lila shook her head. "Think about it. He's been alone for four months. Wouldn't you start craving _some_ form of human contact?"

"A lot can happen in four months, girl." Terrell shook his head. Meanwhile, Gina Tolensky was also doing some thinking.

"Something bothering you, Botanica?" Shiro asked. Gina shook her head.

"Nothing." The Italian-American girl answered. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Something that Kyle said." Gina answered.

"_Thunderbolt?_" Shiro's voice showed his surprise. He looked over at the electrokinetic, who was trying to stay awake.

"Yeah." Gina nodded. "He said that his grandpa told him that revenge was like a lemon car: It looks great, but the insides are terrible." Shiro blinked.

"That analogy is rather crude, but it is accurate." The Japanese mutant nodded. "I guess _somebody_ in that family has to have _some_ form of wisdom." What the other members of Freedom Force did not notice was someone else was on top of the plane. That someone was one Bobby Drake. He was dressed in his civvies, and had also on a pair of blue-tinted sunglasses. He turned his hands into ice, complete with clawed fingertips. Those claws held him to the plane.

_Almost…_Bobby grunted. _Almost there.__ Soon, I will have my revenge. I will make them pay. I will make them all pay. Xavier, Sam, Rahne, Scott, Jean…They will all REGRET the day they turned on me!_ The insane ice-maker looked over the side of the aircraft. He noticed a city. The ice-maker's face formed a twisted grin. _Bavyille,__ I'm comin' home!_ He released his claws and fell towards the Earth. In particular, he was falling towards the ocean. Bobby's crazed grin never left his face.

**A local bookstore, some time later**

Sam Guthrie looked at the books in the sci-fi section. He smiled when he noticed a particular book.

"Aw, man! Heinlein's "Starship Troopers"! Ah have _got_ to buy this!" **(1)** The young mutant grinned. He picked up the novel and bought it. He started walking home towards the Institute, reading his new book. Some time later, he found himself in the local park, but he didn't really notice because he was so engrossed in his new book.

"Hey, man." A voice piped up. Sam looked up and blinked.

"Hello?"

"Over here." The voice said. Sam turned around and saw Bobby sitting on a bench. The human cannonball blinked.

"Bobby?" Sam blinked. Bobby smiled as he got up.

_I got him right where I want him._ The ice-maker mentally smirked. _The dumb hick is actually **buying** the act!_ Bobby held out his arms.

"How're you doing? It's been too long."

"Bobby!" A laughing Sam ran up to his old friend and gave him a hug. Bobby chuckled and hugged him back. "Oh my God! Where have you been? I've missed you, man!"

"Around." Bobby chuckled. "How've you been?"

"Fine. Where we you? We missed you!" Sam grinned. "And the Professor looked _everywhere_ for you!"

_I'm sure he did._ Bobby mentally scowled. _And the X-Men missed me like they'd miss holes in the head._ "I'm sure they did."

"Ah like your hair. You grew it out." Sam pointed at Bobby's hair, which he had tied in a small ponytail that reached down to the bottom of his neck. Bobby shrugged.

"I thought I needed a new look." Bobby shrugged. "No big deal. So, how is everyone?"

"Oh, fine." Sam nodded. "Jamie's a little depressed about Gina, but he's moving along…Oh that's right, you weren't there for…"

"He'll get over her." Bobby shrugged.

"I guess so." Sam nodded. "Rahne and I, we're alright. The X-Men are doing okay. Roberto and Ray still fight like roosters, Tabby still flirts and shops with Amara in tow…" While Sam talked, he didn't notice the angry flicker in Bobby's eye.

_I knew it! They didn't care at all! They just went on with their insignificant lives, not caring in the least about me! I could've **died** and they wouldn't care! Well, they'll care now!_ Bobby mentally snarled. He started clenching his fists.

"…and of course, Toby and Imara are growin' up like weeds…are you alright, Bobby?" Sam blinked. "Your hands." Bobby looked at his hands.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"Are you alright?" Sam narrowed his eyes. Bobby shrugged.

"I'm fine." The ice-maker answered. "Man, so much has changed." Sam nodded in agreement. "Wow. I guess I should've come back earlier. You see, I left to do some thinking."

"For several _months?_" Sam crossed his arms.

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "After the whole thing with Nightshift, and my…actions regarding your sister **(2)**, I left to think."

"Think about what?" Sam blinked.

"My life." Bobby put his hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat. "The people _in_ my life in particular. You see, after the whole craziness that led me to leave the Institute, I started to think about those in my life." Bobby sighed. "You see Sam, I thought about you, and the other X-Men. And in the process, I came to a realization."

"Huh?" A confused Sam scratched his head. Bobby chuckled.

"I had to find out who my friends truly were. If you were truly my friend." He looked up at Sam with a twisted smirk. "You're not my best friend." Before a shocked Sam could react, he got nailed in the gut by an icy fist. Sam howled and coughed as he hit the ground.

"Bobby…" Sam wheezed, looking up. "W-why?" Bobby's face turned into a cold mask of anger.

"You never cared about me, did you Sam?" Bobby snarled, pulling the Kentuckian blond New Mutant up to his knees. "DID YOU?" He punched Sam across the face with his fist, which went back to normal.

"Uch…" Sam coughed. "Bobby…stop…"

"You turned your back on me. I considered you a brother!" Bobby punched Sam in the face again. "A brother!" Another blow. "A BROTHER!" He threw Sam onto the ground. "WHY? YOU TRAITOR! YOU BETRAYED ME! I WANT TO KNOW WHY!" Sam coughed, and struggled to get up. His mouth and nose were bloodied.

"Bobby…stop." Sam wheezed. "Please…why?"

"You betrayed me!" Bobby snarled. "Your tramp sister turned her back on the X-Men and she led me on! She broke my heart."

"Bobby…Ah…Ah…"

"I lashed out, and you took HER SIDE!" Bobby screamed. Sam couldn't believe it.

"What-what's gotten into you, Bobby?" Sam coughed. "Ah…"

"Don't you remember?" Bobby snarled. "At the Institute, after we battled Nightshift and the Hellfire Club…"

**_Begin Flashback _(A/N: Scene (which has been slightly fixed up) courtesy of todd fan. Thanks, tf! I owe you!)**

A few hours later in the infirmary, Sam watched his sister with a sigh. Though now conscious, she was sleeping on a bed. With all those piercings out and her make-up gone, she looked like the sister he'd grown up with. He had been shocked when they brought her in, bleeding and unconscious, he had thought the worst. But she had pulled through, and Hank and the Professor had been running tests to be sure everything was fine. The infirmary doors opened quietly as Bobby stepped in. He frowned at Lizzie's still form on the bed, then looked at her brother.

"So...you're kinda worried about Lizzie, then?" Bobby asked with a nervous laugh. Sam didn't even look up from his place. Bobby blinked, relaxing slightly, stepping forwards. "She'll be fine. She bounces back from most things." Bobby cracked a smile. He gave a squeak of surprise as he was suddenly hefted up by the front of his shirt as Sam stood up and grabbed him in one motion. His feet didn't even touch the floor. He'd forgotten how tall Sam actually was. "Err...Sammy...that kind of hurts." He gasped, trying to twist his shirt away.

"No kiddin'." Sam growled. "You have **_no_** right to be down here, Bobby. **You** did this. No one else. Ah don't know **why** you did it, and Ah don't rightly care."

"You're going to kill me now, aren't you?" Bobby squeaked.

"No." Sam answered, narrowing his eyes. "Momma always taught me that violence isn't the answer. But…" Bobby's eyes widened.

"But?" Sam's grip tightened ever so slightly at that.

"If you **_ever_** step foot near **_any_** of mah family again, you'll find out exactly how easy ice can shatter when it's hit with a cannonball." Sam threatened ominously, before dropping Bobby on the floor. "Get out." Bobby numbly got up, frowning, dusting himself off.

"Fine. Take her side. Of course you would, you're family." Bobby muttered, stomping off.

**_End Flashback_**

Sam's jaw dropped. The Kentuckian staggered to a bench, using it to hold himself up.

"Bobby…" He stammered apologetically. "Ah…Ah…Oh God, Ah'm so sorry. Ah…Ah never intended to…"

"Liar." Bobby snarled, his eyes glowing blue with rage underneath his glasses. "You're a liar."

"No…" Sam shook his head. "Ah know you didn't mean to hurt Elizabeth. Ah was angry, and Ah was hurt. Look, Ah'm sorry."

"No you're not!" Bobby screamed in rage. He blasted Sam with an ice beam that knocked him off his feet, covering him in a light layer of frost. "You're not sorry! You never were!" The enraged ice-maker raced up to Sam, and slashed him across the chest. Sam screamed in pain. His shirt was slashed open, revealing that Bobby had cut him open. "You betrayed me! The X-Men just continued with their lives, not caring if I lived or died!" He grabbed a moaning Sam. He took him by the back of the neck and bottom of his shirt. With a scream, Bobby pushed him into the bench. Sam's shoulder slammed into it, causing him to flip over and the bench to topple. Sam screamed again as a sickening POP was heard from his shoulder on impact. Bobby threw off his trenchcoat, panting like an eager, bloodthirsty animal. "You never listened to me! You never cared about me! You took that tramp's side! YOU BETRAYED ME!"

"Oh…" Sam whimpered. "Uh!" Bobby grabbed him and put Sam's bloodied face up to his. The blond's nose and mouth was very bloody, and he had a big shiner over his right eye.

"What right did you have to betray me?" Bobby snarled. "After all the times I was there for you? That's your way of thanking me for being your friend? NYEAGH!" Bobby formed his ice claws, and slashed Sam across his face.

"ARGH!" Sam screamed. "Please…Bobby…what…w-what do you want?"

"To punish you." Bobby snarled. "I'm not doing this out of revenge, Sam. Revenge leads to nothing. I'm merely going to teach you something. You shouldn't have screwed with me. You shouldn't have lied to me. Because now…" Bobby's face formed a crazed psychotic grin. "I have a lot of power now, Sammy. I can take away everything from you. Just like you took away everything from me."

"Please…" Sam begged. "Don't…don't…"

"I know, I know." Bobby smirked. "I'm not going to kill you, Sammy." He laughed. "What's the fun in that?If I killed you now, you wouldn't learn anything. There's no point. I plan to let you watch me take everything away from you. Your friends, your family, everything. I have nothing to lose thanks to you, Sam. I'm going to make you suffer even more than you made me. Only fair, isn't it? Heh heh." He knocked Sam out with one final punch. Bobby looked at his fist. "Thanks a lot. You got blood on me."

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 4: _****_Reunion_**_ Bobby returns to the Xavier Institute, and his former teammates in the X-Men. And he plans to give them a gift they will never forget…_

**(1) - In the comics, Cannonball was a huge sci-fi fan. In particular, his favorite author was Robert A. Heinlein, who wrote "Starship Troopers".**

**(2) - In "To Err is Human" by todd fan, Bobby lashed out, accidentally injuring Sam's sister Elizabeth.**


	33. Sapphire Twilight Part 4: Reunion

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Toro. That sounds like a load of bull." - Roger Moore as James Bond, Octopussy**

Chapter 33: Sapphire Twilight Part 4: Reunion

**The Xavier Institute**

"Unh!" Sam Guthrie groaned. Bobby Drake had dropped him like a sack in a wooded area of the Institute's grounds. The Kentuckian mutant moaned. He looked up into Bobby's eyes. Bobby's _blue_ eyes. Eyes that displayed a deep burning rage, and a madness brought on by a desire for vengeance.

"Now you just stay put, Sammy boy." Bobby smirked. He closed up his trenchcoat and put on his glasses. "You know, I'm almost going to miss the X-Men. Sure, they used me, lied to me, screwed me over, treated me like something less than a dog, and turned on me, but I had some fun in those times." Bobby chuckled. "Don't worry, Sammy-boy. I'll take good care of them." Bobby took a look around. "Looks like no one is home." He carefully crept onto the grounds, and used his ice powers to make a column. He snuck into the top floor of the Institute. He carefully crept to a staircase and peered down. He saw a few members of the New Mutants, and Kurt, around a video game. _Jerks.__ Heartless jerks. You're all gonna die._ He crept into a random room, and looked around. "Hello…" He noticed he was in a playroom. "Looks like someone had time to make a family." The psychotic ice-maker eyed a crib. "Hello…" He walked carefully towards it. He saw two babies, a little less than a year old, snoozing together. One was a girl with black hair, and the other was a boy with blue hair. _They look like Beast and Storm's. How cute. Pity they'll never see their parents again. Or even remember them._ His mad grin appearing on his face, Bobby pointed a glowing hand at the two babies.

**The Institute, some time later**

The X-Van pulled up in front of the Institute. Emerging from the van were several members of the X-Men: Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Rogue, Colossus, and Jean Grey. Sage had some out from the driver's seat.

"Man, that was a strange trip." Scott sighed. "Remind me never to go _there_ ever again."

"Oh relax, Scott." Jean chuckled. "At least I got some great shopping in."

"And I got this wonderful new plant." Storm smiled, holding up a potted plant with blue flowers on it. The rest of the Institute's residents poured out. "Hello." She gave Forge a peck on the cheek.

"The Professor is now on his way to Washington." Sage announced. "He hopes the Institute will remain standing." Bobby overheard this with help from his evolved powers.

_Blast it!_ The crazed ice-maker thought. _Too bad he's not here. I had something special planned for that bald wheelchair-bound jerk. Aw well, at least I can torture him by wiping out his traitor students._ He climbed up the back wall.

"We have stayed out of trouble since Self-friends had left." The yellow-and-black techno-organic New Mutant called Warlock smiled.

"Aye." Rahne Sinclair, the red-haired Scottish werewolf codenamed Wolfsbane nodded. "I'm a little worried about Sam. He went out to the bookstore to pick up some book he saw, and he has nae returned."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Rahne." Jean reassured. "Sam can take care of himself."

"Yeah, he's fine." Tabitha Smith, the blonde energy bomb-making New Mutant codenamed Boom-Boom agreed.

"Aw, that's a shame." A voice blared. A familiar voice. "I was hoping he'd be here." The X-Men turned and looked up. They saw Bobby Drake, smirk on his face, sitting on the roof. "I was in the mood to pay a visit."

"Bobby!" Danielle Moonstar, a Cheyenne girl with the ability to project other people's nightmares, yelped. Bobby chuckled.

"You were expecting Spider-Man?" Bobby chuckled. He jumped off the roof, doing a flip, and landed perfectly on the ground on his feet like a cat. Obviously, the ice-maker had taken his Freedom Force training very seriously.

"Wow. How'd you do that?" Roberto da Costa, the Brazilian solar-powered New Mutant codenamed Sunspot wondered. Bobby only shrugged.

"Meh. I've been around. I pick up things over the past few months." Bobby shrugged.

"Bobby, where have you been for these past few months?" Scott wondered. "The Professor looked everywhere for you for four months."

"I guess he didn't look hard enough." Bobby chuckled. "Still got that stick in your butt, huh?"

_Scott, something weird is going on._ Jean told her boyfriend telepathically.

_What is it, Jean?_

_I haven't sensed anything from Bobby._ Jean answered. _It's like he's completely managed to seal his mind off from me._ Scott immediately got worried.

"Bobby, we have missed ye." Rahne smiled.

"Yeah, man. It's been kinda boring without your pranks." Tabby agreed with a smirk. "Ain't that right, Amara?" The Roma Novan princess nodded.

"Good to have you back, Popsicle." Logan smirked. "Where you been?"

"First of all, please don't call me Popsicle. I never was a fan of that." Bobby answered evenly. "And secondly…I've been around."

"Oh, man!" Kurt noticed his watch. "I have to go get ze babies! Zey should be waking up right now from zheir nap." He teleported away with the trademark BAMF!

"The babies love Kurt. Especially little Imara. She can't stop talking about him…literally." Beast smiled. Bobby nodded.

"Anyway, it is very nice to see you have returned." Storm continued.

"Yeah, we missed you." Forge agreed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bobby grunted. "It's nice to be back." A scream was heard. Kurt yelled out the window.

"ZE BABIES! THEY'RE GONE!"

"WHAT?" Storm, Forge, and Beast yelled. He teleported near the group.

"Zey weren't in zheir crib!" Kurt gasped.

"Maybe they wandered off." Bobby suggested calmly to the German blue-furred demon-like mutant. "Babies do tend to do that. Especially if those babies are children of X-Men." Jean then suddenly picked up a telepathic moan.

_Jean…help me…_ Jean turned around and saw a panting, moaning, bloodied, and battered Sam limp out of the woods. He was clutching his shoulder. "Sam!" She exclaimed.

"Sammy!" Rahne exclaimed in horror. The rest of the New Mutants raced to their leader. Rahne propped him out. Scott noticed that Bobby didn't seem to react at all to Sam's condition.

"Bobby…" Sam choked out. "Bobby…did…this…" He hacked.

"Bobby?" Scott turned to the ice-maker. "What happened to Sam?" Bobby removed his glasses, revealing his blue eyes. "Bobby…" He took a step back. "Your eyes."

"I know…" Bobby smirked, his eyes starting to glow. "Like them? My mutation's been doing some growing." The sky began to grow darker, and snow started to fall. He turned to the X-Men's instructors. "Storm, Forge, Beast…I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your children will never see you again. You see, I had an ulterior motive for coming here." He quickly whipped around, and punched Scott out with an icy fist. He transformed into his new ice form. "I'VE RETURNED TO MAKE YOU ALL **_PAY FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO ME!_**" With a pained cry like a feral demon driven mad, Bobby thrust out his arms. A blizzard erupted from his body in all directions. The blizzard sent the screaming X-Men flying. "AND THE ICEMAN SHALL WREAK HAVOC ON THOSE WHO BETRAY AND BRUTALIZE WITH VENGEANCE AND FURIOUS ANGER!" He started cackling like the psychotic madman he had become.

"Uhn…" Jean moaned, trying to steady herself with her TK. She went into Bobby's mind, and it made her frightened. _So much pain…so much anger…so much bitterness…it's twisted his mind…where did this all come from?_ "Bobby! Wait!" Bobby snarled at the redhead. "Please! Bobby, you're feeling a lot of pain."

"You have no idea!" Bobby snarled. "You all treated me like garbage! You all thought of me as nothing but some stupid clown you could all abuse and mistreat to your little hearts' content!" Jean couldn't believe it.

"Bobby…" Jean gasped. "Why? Why would you think that?"

"Why do you think, Jean? And since when do you care about me? You never did before!" Bobby roared, blasting Jean with an ice beam. The beam came so fast, Jean wasn't able to deflect it. She got frozen solid.

"JEAN!" Scott screamed. Bobby grinned at her.

"Prissy old red-haired hag. ARGH!" He found himself bound by yellow-and-black ropes. The ropes were Warlock.

"Self-friend Bobby, you must calm down!" Warlock tried to calm down the ice-maker.

"Friend? FRIEND?" Bobby roared. "AFTER ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO ME, YOU LIAR? YOU TRAITOR!" His eyes flashed, and Warlock got frozen solid. Expanding his chest, Bobby broke free, shattering the alien.

"WARLOCK!" Forge yelled. "NO!"

"Goddess…" Storm shuddered in front. "No…" Bobby stopped.

"I killed Warlock…" Bobby looked at his hands. "I froze him and shattered him like glass. I took his life…" He started to laugh. He laughed the laugh of a man who had sold his soul, and not cared in the least. "I DESTROYED AN X-MAN! AND I LOVED IT! WHO'S NEXT? WHO ELSE WANTS TO DIE TODAY! **_WHA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_**" A battered Sam could only watch as a person he once called a friend transformed into a monster.

_Mah__ God…_ Sam mentally shuddered, a chill going down his spine. _It's like Bobby's made a deal with the Devil. Forget a deal, it's like he's **become** the Devil!_

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 5: X-Fall_**_ Bobby Drake, now completely consumed by insanity, gives the X-Men the worst beating they had ever endured. Could this be the end of our merry mutants?_


	34. Sapphire Twilight Part 5: X Fall!

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "It warped his sense of right and wrong." - Kyle Rayner, on Parallax taking over Hal ****Jordan****, _Green Lantern: Rebirth #3_**

Chapter 34: Sapphire Twilight Part 5: X-Fall

**The Xavier Institute**

The X-Men were fighting for their lives. And they were fighting against an opponent they never thought they'd have to face: One of their own. The one they were fighting was Robert Drake, the Iceman. After getting his heart broken unintentionally, Bobby left the X-Men, feeling they wouldn't care if he lived or died and feeling betrayed by his former friend, Sam Guthrie, the Kentuckian New Mutant codenamed Cannonball. After several months of holding in his rage, and two mental breakdowns, the emotional stress took its toll on Bobby's sanity, transforming him into a raving delusional lunatic. He returned to Bayville with a new goal: getting revenge on the X-Men. He had already badly assaulted Sam, and now had gone after his former friends.

"I can't stop this blizzard!" Storm exclaimed in horror. The Kenyan white-haired ex-priestess had tried to use her mutant power of weather control to calm down the blizzard an enraged and psychotic Bobby had created, but it was too powerful. "How does he do this?"

"This blizzard must be linked to his emotions like your powers allow." Forge analyzed while holding on to a tree. "This must be how he shows anger."

"AGH!" Danielle "Moonstar" Mirage screamed as Bobby, in his ice form, picked her up and threw her into Kurt, Roberto, and Rogue.

"LISTEN TO ME! WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN!" Bobby screamed. He turned and saw Rahne standing over a downed Sam protectively, in her werewolf form. Bobby's icy features cracked out his mad smirk. "Hello, Rahne."

"Please, Bobby." Rahne growled. "I nae want to hurt ye. Whatever we did, we're sorry."

"Yeah, right." Bobby scowled. "You're a liar, Rahne. All you X-Men are liars. You never cared about me. None of you loved me, respected me. Now…you will all **_fear_** me." He reached out his ice-covered hand. His arm stretched like a rubber band at incredible speed. Before Rahne could react, she found an icy hand clamped around her neck.

"No!" Sam hacked out. Bobby retracted his arm, Rahne still clamped. The choking Scot struggled to break free. "Bobby…you…you psycho..."

"You see Sam? You shouldn't have betrayed me!" Bobby laughed. "See what I can do to you? I can kill your furry little girlfriend here in so many ways. And all you can do is watch." Bobby smirked at Rahne. "Did you know the human body is 90 percent water? I can freeze it all. Or I could do something more classic and snap your neck. It doesn't matter to me."

"Bobby…please…" Rahne sputtered. "Stop this…"

"No." Bobby smiled as he clamped tighter on Rahne's neck. Sam mustered the will to get to his feet and run toward the crazed ice-maker. Bobby glared at the blond and swiped a glowing hand at him. A blast of what appeared to be blue light flew toward Sam at incredible speed. Sam screamed as he found an icicle impaling him in the shoulder.

"Sam!" Rahne cried out. Bobby laughed as Sam fell on his face.

"I guess he finally got my point!" Bobby joked, laughing. He looked at Rahne. "What're you laughing at?"

"Ye…monster…why?" Rahne whimpered, tears leaving her eyes. Bobby smirked.

"Why not?" Bobby answered with a smirk. "He didn't care in the least whether I lived or died in the least. Why should I care about him? ARGH!" He dropped Rahne because Coloosus, in his metal state, slammed into him. Bobby landed spine-first against a tree. With Colossus was Wolverine, Tabby, and Amara. Wolverine had his claws out, Tabby was holding several time bombs, and Amara was in her Magma form.

"Back. Off. Drake." Tabby warned.

"Stop this, Bobby." Colossus pleaded. "We do not wish to harm you. Do not make us use force."

"Why?" Bobby snarled. "WHY? You never cared about me! Not one bit! You all treated me like garbage! Tabby blows me up, and no one cares! Amara burns me, and NO ONE CARES!"

"We don't wanna hurt you, Popsicle." Logan warned. Bobby snarled.

"Don't you **_dare_** call me that! I HATE THAT NAME!" Bobby pitched a couple icicles. Wolverine screamed as the icicles impaled him right in between his adamantium-lined ribs. Bobby smirked. "And to think, I used to be afraid of you, Wolverine. What was I thinking? How ya like that, Wolf-boy? Think of it as payback for all those brutal sessions in the Danger Room, you overgrown jackal!"

"Dear God…" Colossus stammered.

"That's it!" Tabby snarled. "Amara, roast 'im!"

"NO!" Colossus exclaimed. Tabby threw her time bombs at the iced-up Bobby at the same time Amara let rip with several fiery balls of lava. Bobby only smirked and did the "Bring it on" gesture with his hands. The time bombs exploded on impact with Bobby and the magma hit him at the same time, creating a lot of smoke and several KABOOMs. Tabby, Piotr, and Amara powered down.

"We _have_ to have gotten him!" Amara growled. Hank McCoy, the blue-furred bombastic Beast was helping cart away a wounded Logan towards Storm and Forge. Forge was standing with Storm, who was concentrating on trying to stop the blizzard.

"God, I'm gonna feel this in the morning." Logan grunted. "Just pull these frickin' icicles out, and I'll be fine!" Suddenly, a jet of water erupted from the cloud and blasted Piotr, Tabby, and Amara. They landed on top of the two adult X-Men. A cackling Bobby walked out of the smoke.

"You're kidding me!" Tabby's jaw dropped.

"Like the new look?" Bobby smirked evilly. He appeared to have taken on a new form. He appeared to be made of water.

"No way." Hank's jaw dropped.

"He can become water, too?" A confused Amara yelped.

"Yup." Bobby smirked. "Hey Beast! I'll say goodbye to your little kid for you."

"What'd you do to Toby and Imara?" Hank snarled. Bobby laughed.

"Oh gee, I'm so dumb, I forget what I did with them." Bobby mocked in a funny voice. "But then again, you always thought I was stupid, didn't you, Beast? I was nothing but a moron to you, right? Yeah, I was just a stupid little ice-making idiot. That's all I was!" With a cry, Bobby sent water flying in all directions, further disorienting the X-Men. Bobby grabbed the first X-Man that washed near him, which was a disoriented Storm. "You should've listened to me, Sam! You didn't want to hear me out, man! NYEAGH!" He pitched the goddess into a tree. The white-haired mutant screamed as the impact smashed her collarbone.

"THAT'S RIGHT, YOU COLDHEARTED WITCH! SCREAM FOR ME!" Bobby yelled, encasing her in ice. "YOU ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN ME! WELL, WHO THE MAN NOW?"

"ORORO!" Forge yelled as he ran to help his wife. "ARGH!" His cybernetic arm and his leg got impaled, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Not so tough without your gizmos, are you Inspector Gadget?" Bobby mocked. He ripped out Forge's mechanical arm and whacked him across the mouth with it. "Lousy nerd." He looked up at the snow-covered mansion, and smiled. "Time to have some fun." He fired ice-beams at the Institute, covering the building in a layer of ice that appeared to be nearly twenty feet thick…and putting what appeared to be a small bottle neck on top of the building.

"What is he doing?" Rahne mumbled to herself.

"Oh…my head…" Roberto moaned.

"Mah God, what is that sicko up to?" Rogue growled to herself. The watery Bobby chuckled.

"Ironic. The very building that was used to help you guys have productive lives will also be the sit of your deaths." Bobby smiled. "YAH!" Calling upon his newly-revealed water powers, Bobby created a tidal wave that swept the battered X-Men into the mansion through the bottle neck, and filled the mansion up with water. The ice-maker cackled as he froze some water into an ice cork and covered the top of the bottleneck. "I hope some of you developed the power to breathe water!" Bobby cackled. He noticed Sam leant against a tree. With an evil smirk, Bobby grabbed the blond New Mutant and threw him into the ice-covered wall. Sam bounced off with a grunt.

"Uhhhnh…"

"Poor poor Cannonball." Bobby laughed as he went back into his human form. "Can't save his friends. You know, you could've avoided this if you had backed me up all those months ago. And speaking of betrayal…" He shot an evil grin at the wounded New Mutant. "I'm going to go say hello to your precious sister. She's going to get what she deserves for once." He cackled as he headed off on an ice slide.

"Oh God…" A battered Sam whimpered to himself as he realized where Bobby was going. "He's going to Dark Hollow."

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 6: Heartbreak_**_ Bobby heads to Dark Hollow to get his vengeance on Lucas Haller-Xavier, the telepath who humiliated him, and Elizabeth Guthrie, the mutant girl who broke his heart._


	35. Sapphire Twilight Part 6: Heartbreak

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Give me money, fat boy!" Kyle Brovlovski, ****South ****Park**

Chapter 35: Sapphire Twilight Part 6: Heartbreak

**The Brotherhood Boarding House**

"Oh…Uh…" The members of the Brotherhood moaned. They were scattered around the yard of their property. They all looked terrible, like they had been through a bad fight. Lance's arm was broken, St. John had an icicle through his shoulder, Pietro was pinned to the ground thanks to icicles through his legs, and they all had the general cuts and bruises that came from a fight…well, except for Fred, who was lying protectively over his red-haired girlfriend Rosemary. They lied around the half-frozen, wrecked Brotherhood House. Evidently a certain crazed ice-maker decided to pay a visit.

**Dark Hollow**

Dark Hollow was a small ghost town not too far away from Bayville. It was he home of the quiet mutant team Nightshift. Nightshift was a group of mutants led by the powerful telepath/telekinetic/pyrokinetic Lucas Haller-Xavier, the son of Professor Charles Xavier. Nightshift were a group of mutants who just wanted to live quietly, not wanting to use their powers for good or evil. And now, they were a target. The target of an ice-making young mutant driven mad by an obsession with vengeance and a broken heart.

A blizzard had overtaken the abandoned village, but the reservoir nearby mysteriously started boiling over like water in a heated pot. One house exploded in a plume of smoke, blue energy, and ice.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Bobby Drake, the Iceman, screamed in rage as he blew another house away with an ice beam. "WHERE ARE THEY? WHERE ARE YOU, ELIZABETH? YOU COWARD! YOU RUIN MY LIFE AND DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO FACE ME? NEYAAAARGH!" With another scream of rage, pain, and madness, the insane ice-maker blew away another house in a blast of blue freezing energy. Bobby stood and panted like an animal hen he noticed something. He reached down to the ground and picked up what appeared to be one of those inserts from a newspaper. His face cracked into a psychotic smirk. "Bingo…"

**New York City**

"Alright, you. Get in there!" A SHIELD Agent snapped at a purple muck monster as the creature was led into a black helicopter with SHIELD markings in futuristic shackles. The members of Freedom Force, except for Ace Starr/Wildstar, and John Proudstar/Thunderbird, were watching them cart the creature away.

"He was easy." Kyle smirked proudly.

"Yeah, if you consider fighting muck monsters easy." Terrell winced, rubbing his shoulder.

"A well-fought victory." Shiro nodded. The only one not celebrating was Lila. Normally, she enjoyed a good fight, but not today. Today, she was too worried. She was looking up at the sky.

"Oh yeah!" Rictor grinned, doing a little shadow boxing. "Yeah! No one can beat the almighty Rictor, baby! With his Sonic Punch of Doom!" He noticed Lila was staring at the sky with worry. "Hey chica, what's up with you?"

"Huh?" Lila blinked, shaking her head to help her get back to earth. "Oh. Sorry, Ric. I wasn't listening."

"Oh, brother." Rictor snickered. "You're thinking about that Iceman nut again, aren't you?" Lila stammered.

"Figures." Kyle laughed. "Hey, babe." He turned to Gina. "Looks like Anakin may have just found his Padme Amidala, huh?" Gina rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." Gina mumbled. Karma looked up at Lila, who had gone back to staring at the sky.

"Hey." She put her hand on Lila's shoulder. "You alright?" Lila nodded. "You're worried about Bobby, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Lila sighed. "It's just…well, I can't stop thinking about him. Poor guy has felt so alone, so angry, and for so long. What can happen to a person to cause all that?"

"Whatever it was, it obviously caused Bobby to shut himself away from the world." Karma sighed. "It also wrecked his willingness to trust." Lila nodded.

"It's like he wants to tell _someone_ what's bothering him, but he is too stubborn to." Lila sighed. A ringing sound was heard. Contessa Fontaine, the SHIELD agent who worked as the adult caretaker of the young mutants, picked up her phone.

"Hello?" The Italian woman answered.

"Hey!" Ace Starr yelped into the phone. He looked panicked.

"Ace?" Fontaine blinked. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

"Bobby's gone!" Ace exclaimed. "I tried to sniff him out, but his trail suddenly vanished! And John's watching the news right now. Ever hear of the Xavier Institute?"

"Yes." Fontaine nodded. "That's the headquarters of the X-Men, why?"

"Someone attacked the place. It's pretty obvious who, considering it's covered with ice."

**Bayville Mall**

"Oh, neat!" A blonde girl, with several piercings in her face, dressed like a biker, held up a black t-shirt with the word 'Babe' in silver Gothic lettering over herself. She was in a clothing store. "What do you think, Lucas?" She looked at a blond guy, dressed in a Gothic manner, who looked very displeased with being there. Her voice had a Southern accent. "Ah think it describes me perfectly."

"Of all the bloody…" The boy, Lucas, grumbled in a Scottish accent. He was called Legion. He led Nightshift, but the team weren't really combatants. They were just a group of mutants who wanted to live in peace away from mankind. "I'm sure it does, me dear. It describes ye perfectly, but we didn't come here to mess around in a bloody mall. We came here into town to get supplies, not mess around in a mall, Elizabeth."

"Oh, Lucas…" Elizabeth Guthrie, a Kentucky-born mutant girl with the ability to increase her size, shook her head. She was called Amazon. "Haven't you ever just wanted to spend a day just having fun and not letting the pressures of life get to you. We don't get to go to town often, so let's just enjoy it. The others are. Theresa's at the mall with Sammy, Lorna's sulking at the food court, Kyle is getting some stuff for his guitar, and Alex is checking out surf gear. Just relax, Lucas. Nothing bad is going to happen." The blonde girl then felt something strange. "Lucas…did it just get cold in here?"

"Aye…" Lucas looked around. "It did…"

**The ****Food Court**

In the food court, Lorna Dane, the magnetism-controlling green-haired Nightshift member known as Polaris was eating some chips at a table. She noticed a figure dressed in a done-up blue trenchcoat, face covered by longish brown hair, and blue sunglasses walking by her. The figure stopped and looked at her.

"What do _you_ want?" Lorna grumbled at the figure. She then started to shiver. "Is it…getting cold in here…" Others in the mall noticed it, too.

"What's going on?"

"It's freezing in here!"

"Who wrecked the central heating?"

"Hey! It's snowing!"

"_Snowing? **Inside?**_"

"This is Bayville, things like this happen all the time here." One person quipped. Lorna shivered, and she looked at the figure. The figure didn't seem to be affected by the cold, and his eyes behind his sunglasses were glowing blue.

"I have a message for your boss." The figure said to Lorna, cracking a psychotic grin. The small snow into the mall quickly escalated into a blizzard.

**Back to the clothing store**

"YI!" Lizzie Guthrie screamed as she hung on to the side of the clothing store's front door.

"What the bloody!" Lucas roared angrily, doing the same. "Where'd this bloody blizzard come from? I bet it's the X-Men! That cow Storm can cause this!"

"What're you flappin' your gums about?"

"The X-Men are probably after us!" Lucas groused.

"For what?" Lizzie exclaimed. "We haven't done anything wrong!"

"Wouldn't stop those guys." Lucas grumbled. "Maybe they're still ticked with you leaving them."

"Ah think they would've gotten over that." Lizzie rolled her eyes. "It's not like Ah hated any of them or anything. If you're so dad-blamed worried, scan around." Lucas nodded and used his telepathy to scan around. His mind wasn't able to detect any of the mental signatures of the X-Men…except one. Lucas screamed. He clutched his head, which caused him to let go of the door and he started to move backwards, being pushed by the winds. "LUCAS!"

"I'm alright!" Lucas recovered quickly, using his TK to help steady himself. "I got a signal! It's one of the X-Men! The one called Iceman."

"Iceman?" Lizzie blinked. "Wait…Bobby Drake…He's not in the X-Men, Lucas! Not anymore! Ah talked to Sam last week! He's been missing for several months! No one knows where he went! And he can't cause blizzards!"

"Oh, he can." Lucas grumbled. "And more. His power…It's incredible. I've been in his mind. He's mad. Bloody mad. He's out for blood, Elizabeth! He's after _us!_ He thinks we wrecked his life, and it's made him a psycho!"

"YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!" A familiar voice yelled out. Lucas and Elizabeth turned and saw a familiar trenchcoated figure. "Remember me, Lizzie?" Bobby Drake smirked as he morphed into his ice form. "The man you ruined the life of? Well, I'm _baaaaa-aaaaack!_"

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 7: Rescue_**_ While Freedom Force affects a rescue at the Xavier Institute, Bobby Drake battles Nightshift!_


	36. Sapphire Twilight Part 7: Rescue

**Black Ice**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Who knows what is going on in Bobby's head right now? I think that as far as he's concerned, the Brotherhood is a practice run. He's going after one of his **real** targets now! Yeah. I don't see __Elizabeth__ as someone who is as truly heartless as she acts. She joined Nightshift so she wouldn't be in the shadow of Cannonball. Her tough-girl front is a front. She's tough, but she also has a heart. She's a Guthrie. Yeah, Bobby's actions here impact for a long time. It plays a big part in the "Sidney-verse". Ramifications are still felt in "Gifts and Curses": Bobby's haunted by it, Lucas hates his guts, and some of the X-Men still hold it against him. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, Nightshift didn't expect Bobby to pull something like this. And you'll see why Lucas hates his guts here. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Mutants Make Good Cowboys", and "Gifts and Curses"._

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, it's going to get extremely wild. Enjoy the new chapter! I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the last chapter of "Truth, Justice, and the Last Cup of BA's Coffee", and I loved it! Looks like our heroes are in major dire straits. I had to mention Rosemary. She's in the B-Hood, and she's Fred's girl in the Sidney-verse. Well, Bobby's sanity is kaput right now. I think as far as he's concerned, everyone betrayed him. No one is innocent in his eyes. Oh yeah, Bobby's found Lucas and Lizzie, and he's going to battle Nightshift. It's going to be brutal. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Truth, Justice, and the Last Cup of BA's Coffee"!_

**Disclaimer: "The loss you feel, the pain you're holding on to, they're dangerous things. They can ruin you…if you don't let them go." - Jessica Jordan to her son Hal, Green Lantern #48**

Chapter 36: Sapphire Twilight Part 7: Rescue

**The Xavier Institute**

Sam Guthrie moaned as he came to. He saw an unfamiliar face. A face of what appeared to be a girl of Asian descent.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked concernedly.

"Who…who are you?" Sam muttered.

"I am called Karma. I'm from Freedom Force." The girl explained.

"Who?" Sam mumbled.

"We're friends." Karma explained. While Karma was tending to the wounded Southerner, the rest of Freedom Force were trying to break the ice that covered the Institute.

"We have to hurry!" Lila yelled as she blasted the ice with her laser crossbow. "Who knows how long they have!"

"Yeah, yeah!" John grunted and groused as he punched away at the wall. "Geez, how thick **_is_** this ice?"

"Thick enough!" Kyle exclaimed. He had used his powers to create several drills from electrical power. The drills were boring into the ice. "The Thunderbolt's not normally pessimistic, but the Thunderbolt seriously doubts that we can get these X-People out before they drown!" Meanwhile, Terrell, armed with a pair of brass knuckles, was hitting the ice with super speed, in an effort to power his way through. Sunfire was using his solar flame to try and blast his way through. Ace was using his claw lasers to try and cut a hole in the ice, and Rictor was using sonic waves to try and shatter the ice. Standing off to the side was a very pale-faced, and horrified Gina.

_Mio Dio…_Gina thought, horrified. _What has Bobby done? All this, because he was hurt. All of this. Did he **have** to do this?_ Gina looked on as the other members of Freedom Force used their powers to try and free Bobby.

"Wait!" Fontaine yelled. "All of you! Concentrate your powers on one spot!" Fontaine ordered.

**The Bayville Mall**

The outside of the mall was encased in a very thick layer of ice, with only a few small holes on the top. The people inside were terrified.

"NO ONE ESCAPES!" Bobby roared angrily. He was in his ice form, standing stop a mound of ice. A blizzard had erupted inside the mall. Civilians trapped inside screamed and desperately tried to find places to hide and keep warm. "I WILL NOT LEAVE UNTIL I MAKE EVERYONE **_PAY_** FOR BETRAYING ME!" A certain teenage Irish redhead flew by.

"Hey, maybe _this_'ll shut ye up!" Theresa Rourke, the Nightshift member called Siryn, let loose with her sonic scream. Bobby screamed in pain, covering his ears. Kyle Dibney, the feral Nightshift member called Wild Child, leapt on the ice-maker, slashing at the psychotic mutant's icy body. Bobby roared in rage. He grabbed Wild Child, and tossed the Canadian feral into Siryn, causing them to fall to the ground. Bobby turned around, and faced Lucas Xavier himself. Elizabeth was behind him, holding on to Sammy Pare protectively.

"YOU!" Bobby snarled angrily. Lucas scowled.

"Ye want me, ye bloody ice cube?" Lucas scowled. "Come and get me!" Lucas's face formed a smirk. A wall of fire formed in front of Bobby. "What's the matter, ice cube? Afraid of a little flame?"

"Fire." Bobby snorted. "You make me laugh, Lucas." Much to Lucas's shock and horror, Bobby turned into his water form. He stepped through the flame. Hissing noises could be heard where his watery body touched the flame, accompanied by steam. "Fire doesn't scare me anymore, Lucas. Fire is **_nothing_** to me! You can't hurt me anymore!" Bobby roared. He blasted Lucas with a jet of supercooled water, which sent the telepath into the far wall of the clothing store, freezing him to the wall. Bobby snarled at Elizabeth, madness and rage in his watery eyes. "NOW IT'S YOUR TURN, YOU TRAMP!" Bobby stretched his watery arm, clocking Liz in the face with an ice-hard fist, knocking her off her feet.

"LIZZIE!" Sammy screamed. Lizzie coughed as she got up.

"Sammy! Run! Get out of here!" Lizzie ordered. Sammy immediately did what the blonde girl ordered.

"Why?" Bobby asked Elizabeth, tears in his eyes. Those tears became more evident as he transformed back into his human form. "Why did you do it to me? Why'd you lead me on?"

"What?" Elizabeth exclaimed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember?" Bobby exclaimed back indignantly. "When you were living at the Institute. When I first saw you…" A tear fell down Bobby's cheek. "I loved you. You were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen." Lizzie's jaw dropped.

"Oh, mah God." Lizzie mumbled.

"I was too afraid to tell you." Bobby admitted, the blizzard calming slightly. "You had that whole 'tough-girl' thing. And when I saw that you were with Lucas during that whole battle with the Hellfire Club…" Bobby struggled not to start bursting out into a crying fit right there. "…I…I lost it." Lizzie remembered that well. Bobby had frozen the ground she stood on, causing her to slip to a cliff. It crumbled under her, causing her to fall down a Cliffside. Tragically, it caused her to miscarry a child she had no idea she was carrying. The tragedy hurt her deeply.

"Ah remember that." Lizzie nodded. "Ah lost mah first child thanks to you."

"It wasn't my fault!" Bobby objected. "I didn't mean to! I didn't know!"

"Ah know." Lizzie answered quietly.

"Why'd you do it?" Bobby snarled.

"Why'd Ah do what?" Lizzie blinked.

"WHY'D YOU LIE TO ME?" Bobby screamed. "I LOVED YOU! YOU LED ME ON, THEN TURNED ON ME FOR LUCAS! WHY WHY WHY WHY **_WHY_**" The blizzard kicked up some more. Lizzie looked at the ice-maker.

_Oh, mah God._ Lizzie couldn't believe the transformation Bobby underwent. _What happened to him? How could he have changed so much. He's talking crazy!_ "Bobby…what happened to you?"

"You ruined my life!" Bobby yelled. "Thanks to you, your brother turned on me! He wouldn't listen to me! No one would!" The blizzard started to get stronger. "I'm gonna make you PAY! WITH YOUR LIFE!"

"Bobby…" Lizzie begged as she struggled to stand in the blizzard. _Ah can't use mah powers here! If Ah do, Ah could end up hurting somebody!_ "Don't do this…Please…"

"Why shouldn't I?" Bobby snarled demonically, ice blue eyes gleaming with malice and an evil glow. "You did this to me, you harlot! You took my heart, and you stepped on it! You never cared about anyone but yourself!" Elizabeth was agape. She couldn't believe it. Here was a man whose heart she had unintentionally broken, and it had driven him to madness.

"Bobby…" Lizzie stammered. "Ah…Ah…Ah never intended to lead you on." She tried to calm the insane enraged ice-maker. "If Ah did, Ah'm sorry. Ah know why you're doing this. Ah understand." She looked up at him. At his eyes. The ice blue eyes that showed intense anger, but also hid away a great amount of pain. "Ah just want you to know, Ah''m not mad at you. Ah know you didn't intend to hurt anyone. Ah am not angry at you for causing my miscarriage. If Ah didn't know, then you couldn't have. Please, Bobby. Just stop this. Stop before someone gets killed. Killing Lucas won't make me love you. And it won't heal your pain, either. It'll just make it worse." Lizzie begged. "Ah don't hate you, Bobby. Ah just want to help you." Bobby laughed at that.

"Help me?" Bobby laughed. "**_HELP_** ME? You took my dignity, and you want to help me! You made me look heartless! You made me look like a murderous fool, and you want to HELP ME? I lost my **_friends_** because of you! I lost a **_family_** because of you!" Tears started to come down Bobby's eyes. "You don't care in the least! You really make me sick! I'M THE VICTIM HERE!" The blizzard grew in intensity with Bobby's rage. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR PRECIOUS LUCAS DID TO ME? HE TRIED TO KILL ME!" Lizzie's face betrayed confusion. "Don't look at me like you don't know! While you were recovering in the Institute! You had your precious boyfriend ATTACK ME! He nearly crushed me like an egg! He called me a murderer!" Lizzie's eyes widened, and she gaped in shock.

_He may be talkin' crazy, but Ah don't think he was lying about that last part._ Lizzie realized. _If it's true…Oh mah God…What'd Ah do? Ah was so intent on distancing mahself from the rest of mah family that…Oh God, What'd Ah do? This is mah fault!_ A couple tears started coming down her eyes. "Bobby…is that true?"

"Yeah. It is." Bobby scowled. "You sent him out to attack me for revenge. It didn't work. I'm still here. I've played that memory in my head over and over non-stop. Every minute of every day, for months, I've relived that pain. And it was all because of you." Bobby pointed a glowing hand at Elizabeth, making the blonde shudder.

"No…"

"You want to help me? YOU CAN HELP ME BY GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE, YOU HEARTLESS, SELFISH TEMPTRESS! YOU CAN HELP ME BY **_DYING!_**" Bobby sent several sharp icicles speeding towards a frightened Lizzie. Before they can reach her, they got vaporized by bursts of plasma.

"Leave her alone!" Alex Summers, the blond Hawaiian plasma blaster called Havok, yelled out. With him, floating in the air surrounded by metal deck chairs, was Lorna Dane, aka the green-haired magnetism-manipulating mutant called Polaris. Bobby snarled and turned his head.

"HAVE A DRINK!" Bobby yelled out, firing two huge jets of water from his hands at the two mutants.

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight 8: Clash_**_ Bobby vs. Lucas at last! One wants to protect his little family, the other wants to destroy them. When these two mutants of titanic powers finally clash, who will be the victor?_


	37. Sapphire Twilight Part 8: Clash

**Black Ice**

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, Bobby and Lucas finally clash in this chapter! It's going to be brutal, considering Bobby's had an immense chip on his shoulder about Lucas attacking him for months. And I had to have __Elizabeth__ try and reach out to him, because she had no idea about how Bobby felt. She may be the "black sheep" of the Guthries, but she still is a Guthrie. She has a heart. Sapphire Twilight changes her life as well as a lot of others. After this whole thing, she's going to do a lot of changing. So are a lot of people. Bobby's going through a lot of angst after this. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "For Truth, Justice, And The Last Cup of BA's Coffee"!_

_To Haretrigger: Hey there, Haretrigger! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yes, Bobby did nuke a lot of bridges. Actually, you should read todd fan's "Gifts and Curses" to find out who survived the whole thing. And yes, just now, Lizzie is finding out just now just how Bobby felt. She doesn't know that he attacked the X-Men and her brother. If he did stick around, I'm sure Lizzie would sorted things out. She's not heartless. Yeah, the fight's going to be a bad one, considering that Bobby and Lucas are very powerful mutants. Bobby knows **exactly** what he's capable of, and he's not afraid to show Lucas just how powerful he's become. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I hope Lucas is able to put up a fight, too! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Bobby's been holding a lot back. He's an emotional and mental wreck, and he feels he has nothing to lose. Lucas does hate Bobby because of this fight, and for what Bobby plans to do to __Elizabeth__. Bobby's going to recover, although it'll take him a long time to do so. He's still haunted by Sapphire Twilight in "Gifts and Curses", and that fic occurs four or five years after "Black Ice". Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, the big fight **will** be something special! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Fourteenth Century Man", "Mutants Make Good Cowboys", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To the pilot of eva unit 04: Hey there, eva! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! My e-mail server was down for emergency repairs. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To pauloj1983: Hey there, paulo! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Well, I think you should read "To Err is Human" by todd fan before you read this. Events in that story lead into "Black Ice". Lizzie never even **noticed** Bobby during that story, which probably would explain why he's so ticked off at her. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I am called Korugar's greatest villain by my own people. That is my place in history. Now on your homeworld, the very _memory_ of Hal ****Jordan**** is spit upon by its heroes. He shares my pain." - Sinestro, Green Lantern: Rebirth #4**

Chapter 37: Sapphire Twilight Part 8: Clash

**Bayville Mall**

"HAVE A DRINK!" Bobby yelled out, firing two huge jets of water from his hands at Alex Summers and Lorna Dane, the two Nightshift members called Havok and Polaris. The jets of water hit the two hard, knocking them into an electronics store.

"Lorna! Alex!" Lizzie screamed. The psychotic ice-maker turned back to Elizabeth.

"I'll be back as soon as I deal with your little friends." Bobby then blasted Elizabeth with an ice beam, encasing her up to her head in ice.

"Bobby!" Lizzie exclaimed. "Stop! Please, stop this! This won't help you!" Bobby slid into the store on an ice slide. He stared at Alex and Lorna as they got to their feet. He crossed his arms.

"Who else wants to play?" Bobby smirked. Lorna looked around and smirked.

"Hey, psycho! Look at all the metal here!" Lorna smirked as she called upon her magnetic powers to cause all the metal components in the electrical devices in the store to levitate towards her. "YAH!" She sent all the metal flying towards Bobby. The ice-maker laughed.

"Hey Grasshead." Bobby smirked. "Did you know that metal can conduct cold? And did you also know what happens to metal when it gets frozen?" He fired ice beams at the metal components, freezing them all. Lorna's shock caused her to lose concentration on the metal components. "IT GETS BRITTLE!" The frozen metal components fell to the ground and shattered like glass. "Heh." Lorna snarled.

"I don't think ice can stop plasma." Havok noted as he unleashed a plasma blast from his hands. Bobby quickly turned into his watery state. He was able to use his liquid form to quickly dodge the blast.

"Hey, Summers." Bobby teased. "Your green-haired girlfriend looks mighty cute." Quick as lightning, Bobby froze Lorna solid.

"Lorna!" Alex exclaimed. Bobby smirked.

"I'll keep her around." Bobby laughed. "I just may decide to have some fun with her before I finish her off." He looked at Alex with a twisted grin. "Now I'll have _two_ Summerses with the same powers." Alex paled.

"What do you mean?" Alex mumbled. Bobby smirked.

"You joined Nightshift to get out of your brother's shadow, I assume." Bobby assumed. "If I had a brother like Cyclops, I'd do the same thing. Anyway, you won't have to worry about being in Cyclops's shadow anymore." Bobby's twisted grin grew wider. "I killed him. Wiped him right off the face of the Earth like the little stain he was. He begged me not to kill you before he drowned in a watery demise of my own creation." Alex shuddered in horror.

"Scott…" He mumbled under his breath. "No…You…you…you killed him? Why? How?" Bobby only shrugged.

"A lot of reasons." Bobby shrugged. "He never treated me with any respect. He never bothered to care whether I lived or died. Like all the X-Men, he betrayed me! Betrayed my trust! I TRUSTED HIM! He never heard me out! So I made him pay. Pay in blood." Alex couldn't believe it.

"He…he…" Alex shook, tears coming down his eyes. "He'd never betray anyone! You liar!"

"Really?" Bobby smirked. He whacked Alex across the face with a watery tentacle. "Ask me how much of a liar when you see Scott again." He formed his ice claws, until a jet of flame came out of nowhere and streaked past Bobby's head. The ice-maker turned and saw an angry Lucas standing at the front of the wrecked store. His fists were burning with flame.

"Alex, get Lorna out of here." He ordered simply. Lucas then narrowed his eyes at Bobby. "He and I have some business to settle. Ye murdered me future child, Drake."

"Yeah…" Bobby smirked. "PREPARE TO JOIN IT! NYEARGH!"

**The Xavier Institute**

"Uhn…" A beaten Sam watched the mutant team known as Freedom Force try to break the ice covering the Institute.

"Now!" Fontaine ordered. Sunfire opened up with his plasma flame. Rictor then added his sonic blasts. Ace followed up with blue laser beams from his claws. Kyle then added on a stream of lightning. Terrell fired a drill made of winds.

"This had better work." Thunderbird scowled, crossing his arms.

"It had better…or the X-Men are doomed." Karma sighed. Meanwhile, Lila was noticing Gina. The Italian-American girl had sunk to her knees.

"Hey, you alright?" Lila walked over to the girl.

"How?" Gina looked up at Lila. "How could Bobby do something so cruel? They never did anything to him. An old…an old friend of mine is in there, and I can't help him."

"I don't know, Gina." Lila sighed. "I guess Bobby's finally just given up and let his mind go."

"I'll tell ya what!" Kyle grunted as he poured on the power. "Ol' Anakin's finally done it. He's finally surrendered to the Dark Side. He's become Vader."

"Oh, quit with the Star Wars garbage." John grunted. Sam watched all this. The Southerner narrowed his eyes and then looked up. "We're not going to make it through!"

"I don't see you helping!" Lila snapped.

"I don't see _you_ helping either!" John snapped back. "I can't bust through all that ice!"

"I can't teleport in there either, because I never had been in there before!" Lila snapped back.

"You're gonna make it through now!" Sam grunted. In an amazing show of will, he got to his feet, started to run towards the Institute, take a leap, and activate his powers.

"Kid, no!" Karma yelled. Sam cannonballed his way through the ice barrier, all the way to the other side of the house. A jet of water flew out of the holes, and the barrier cracked. "Look out!" The members of Freedom Force ducked and dodged the streams of water created by the cracking and collapsing ice barrier. The barrier collapsed completely, revealing the soggy and wrecked Xavier Institute. "Oh my God…please let them be alright…"

**Bayville Mall**

A wall collapsed as Bobby, in his ice form, and Lucas smashed each other through the wall, trading punches, charged with elemental energy. Lucas's fists blazed with flame, and Bobby's fists glowed blue with freezing energy.

"Ye bloody psycho…" Lucas snarled. "Ye come here, and try to kill me girl and me little family? Me child wasn't enough for ye?"

"IT WAS AN **ACCIDENT!**" Bobby roared, smashing into Lucas with icy fists. He started pounding at the surprised telepath. "You wouldn't listen to me, would you? No! You'd rather treat me like some criminal! You tried to humiliate me! You tried to crush me like an egg!" Lucas's eyes glowed with rage, and he telekinetically threw Bobby off him. The psychotic ice-maker screamed as he flew towards the wall, but just before he hit, he turned into his water form. On impact, Bobby splashed all over the wall. He quickly reformed and blasted into Lucas's gut. "I **_suffered_** because of you! I lost **_everything_** because of **_YOU!_**" He fired a beam of ice at Lucas. The telepath quickly put up a wall of fire to protect himself from the ice-beam, but the beam was too strong. It hit Lucas, sending him into a wall, freezing him into it. "It wasn't enough that you had to take the one girl I ever loved out from under my nose, was it?" He snarled as he walked towards Lucas, changing back into human form. He formed his ice claws, and stalked toward the blond Scot, intent on tearing him apart. "No, it wasn't. Then you and Liz had to make me look like some heartless murderer, huh? Well, you'll listen to me **_NOW!_** I did **not** intend to hurt her! I DID NOT! I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS PREGNANT!" Lucas quickly recovered, and sent a psi-blast at Bobby, causing the crazed ice-maker to scream, put his hands to his head, and fall to his knees. Lucas then used his TK to help him break free. He stalked toward the screaming Bobby, hands ablaze.

"Ye have no right! NO RIGHT!" Lucas snarled. "Ye tried tae kill me, and Nightshift for no reason! Ye think I screwed ye over? Ruined yuir life? Ye're doin' that yerself!" He smirked at the screaming ice-maker. "In yer human form, ye're still vulnerable tae fire. Appropriate." Lucas pointed a fiery hand at the screaming Bobby. "Where ye're going, ye're going tae do plenty of burning." Lucas fired a jet of flame. Bobby, going by instinct, turned into water, and powered his way through Lucas's flame attack, and smashed into Lucas like a football player.

"THAT REALLY HURT!" Bobby howled. "I told you, your telepathy may be something, but fire doesn't hurt me anymore! Maybe I should try another way to make you get my POINT!" He hit the ground with a blue-glowing two-fisted hammer blow, causing the ground below him to freeze. A line of blue energy traveled the ground in front of him, freezing the ground in its wake. The line of energy went over Lucas, not affecting him, but freezing the ground below him.

"Huh?" Lucas blinked, then he noticed spikes popping out of the frozen part of the ground. "YIPE!" Lucas used his TK to save himself from impalement by getting him out of the way. "Bloody…" he noticed Bobby waving his arm at him. Some water from a nearby fountain leapt to life, almost like a snake waking up at the sight of prey. Then like a cobra, the water jumped out of the fountain, wrapping itself around Lucas's body. "Hey what ARGH!" The water coiled itself tighter and tighter around Lucas's body. It was controlled by a madly-grinning Bobby, who had made a fist and was clenching it tighter and tighter.

"Like this, Lucas?" Bobby laughed. "This is what you did to me, only you used your TK instead of water. Remember, Lucas? You tried to crush me like a freakin' egg! I remember it." Unbeknownst to either of them, Elizabeth was watching, out of sight. "I remember it well. You didn't even give me a _chance_ to **_explain myself!_**" A couple tears were leaking from Bobby's cold blue eyes. "Now you know how it feels, Lucas. I've played this memory over and over and over and over again non-stop for months. All I thought about was getting my hands on you and Lizzie again for what you both did to me." Elizabeth's jaw dropped.

_Lucas, what did you do?_ Elizabeth mentally gasped. _What did you do to him? _She looked around. _God, What can I do? Wait…If I'm very careful…_

"AGH!" Lucas screamed as the water covering his body squeezed him tighter and tighter. He tried to use his TK to break the hold, but he was in too much pain to focus.

"That's right…" Bobby snarled, eyes glowing deep blue. "Feel it, Lucas. Feel every ounce of the pain you put me through…and a whole lot more." He snarled at the screaming Lucas, breathing heavily. He looked like an enraged predatory animal, who knew that he had a guaranteed kill. "You look everything away. All the things I could never get back…And now I'll make sure you never **_enjoy_** your spoils! I'm going to take away the one thing I _know_ I can take away from you…The one thing I still have…life." Bobby cackled madly as Lucas struggled to avoid getting crushed. The mad ice-maker heard giant footsteps. He turned and saw Elizabeth, who was now about as tall as the mall building itself, walking carefully towards Bobby.

"Lizzie…no…" Lucas choked out. "Leave…"

"Bobby, please…" Lizzie begged. "Don't do this."

"Why shouldn't I?" Bobby snapped. "You screwed with me, you oversized biker chick-wannabe! You ruined my life!"

"And you think killing me…and killing Lucas…will fix it?" She shook her head. "No. You'll only end up even worse. Please, Bobby…Ah forgave you for the miscarriage. Ah know it wasn't your fault. Ah know you didn't intend to hurt me. You just lashed out. Ah will stop you if Ah have to, but Ah don't want to hurt you. You've been hurt enough. Let it end, Bobby." Bobby growled, and looked up at Elizabeth. The blizzard appeared to die down a little bit.

"I loved you." Bobby muttered. "You are the one who made me do this. Every day since then, all I was ever able to think about was the fact that you were with Lucas. Every single second, every day, for _months,_ that was all I could think about! The only thing that's kept me going was THIS!" Bobby pointed at Lucas. "I had no one on my side. My parents betrayed and dumped me in the Institute simply because I was a mutant! I'm looking at the one girl I ever loved, and you betray me as well, Guthrie. I make one mistake, and it caused a guy I thought was my best friend to betray me! Everyone I cared about betrayed me! And I knew Freedom Force would as well. It would only be a matter of how and when. No more. NO MORE!" Bobby roared. The blizzard kicked up. He fired a jet of water from his hand at a surprised Elizabeth. The water wrapped itself around Lizzie from her feet to her neck, and it started to squeeze the screaming blonde as well.

"Lizzie…no…" Lucas choked. Bobby grinned his psychotic grin.

"I will never know peace…" Bobby grinned. "Not until you two are dead. Once you two are gone, I don't care what happens to me. Because I will have found peace. Peace at last." A blue laser blast hit the ground just in front of Bobby's foot. Iceman turned around. "You…"

"Stop this, man." Ace Starr warned with a bit of sadness in his voice. He was pointing his glowing claws at Bobby. "I don't want to have to blast you." Bobby scowled.

"Why am I not surprised?" Bobby snarled. "I knew you would betray me."

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 9: Ruin_**_ As Nick Fury and SHIELD help the X-Men recover from Bobby's attack, Freedom Force takes on the mad Iceman, intent on stopping him...hopefully without being forced to take drastic measures._


	38. Sapphire Twilight Part 9: Ruin

**Black Ice**

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad I impressed you. I wanted to make sure it was worthy of being a Chronicle. Oh yeah, Bobby has a lot of hatred issues with a lot of people. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad you liked the fight scene. I never thought I was that good with those kinds of scenes. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you like the last chapter! Uh-huh. Bobby's rage and desire to get his hands on Lucas and Elizabeth was the only thing that would keep him going. He's been wanting to make them pay for their imagined slights against him for so long, it's consumed him. He's finally got his hands on them, and he's not going to let anyone take that away from him. This event changes a lot of people. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "BART, NO!" - Marge Simpson, the Simpsons**

Chapter 38: Sapphire Twilight Part 9: Ruin

**The Xavier Institute, sometime earlier**

Contessa Fontaine watched a group of SHIELD agents run around the wrecked Institute, helping and tending to the wounded mutants that comprised the X-Men. Most of them were unconscious. She leaned down next to the unconscious Jamie Madrox. She ran a hand through the young mutant's brown hair.

_So young…_ She thought. _He's no older than Thunderbolt._ She noticed that Nick Fury himself was at the scene. And he was talking to an old friend, a certain feral X-Man whose healing factor allowed him to recover quickly.

"Well Nick…" Logan looked at his old friend. "Looks like the X-Men, Brotherhood, Nightshift, and Acolytes aren't the only mutants running around anymore."

"Yeah." Nick nodded. "You can probably guess why they wanted Freedom Force."

"Let me guess, PR?" Logan nodded.

"You got it." Nick nodded. "They believe that people will accept the mutant community better if they meet mutants sponsored by the government."

"Ah yes, mutants that work for the government will be less likely to follow their X-Genes and try to kill everyone." Logan muttered. Nick grunted.

"Believe me, Logan. I think it's kind of crazy, too. Luckily, we got a good bunch of kids."

"Except Popsicle." Logan growled. "How could you have let him into the ranks…without telling me."

"He didn't want the X-Men to know, Logan." Fury answered. "What do you do to him?" His voice contained plenty of mirth. Fury knew Logan was good man. "The way he spoke about you in particular…well, let's just say the language he used would make _you_ blush." Logan blinked.

"What happened to him?" Logan wondered. Nick sighed and shook his head.

"I should've seen it coming." The eyepatch-wearing spy muttered. "God, I should've seen the kid's snapping coming."

"Obviously." Logan snorted. "I guess Freedom Force wasn't ready for the Popsicle."

"He hated being called that." Nick Fury remembered. "I don't blame him. Ice Demon is more appropriate for him." Logan noticed Karma helping Sunfire thaw out a frozen Jean. "Nice to see the kid's doing alright." Fury let out a small smile at her.

"Yeah. Shan's a tough girl. Tried to break through to the Iceman. She wasn't able to though. Kid was so intent on shutting himself away…" He sighed. "I should've seen it coming, Logan."

"You never were that good with kids." Logan smirked. Meanwhile, in the woods, Gina Tolensky was sitting with her back to a tree. She didn't want the X-Men to see her. She didn't want Jamie to see her, not the way she was.

"Hey." The Italian-American girl looked up at the source of the voice. She noticed Kyle standing there.

"Uh…h-hey." Gina blinked. Kyle looked in the direction of the Institute.

"Something, huh? Who would've thought ol' Vader could have all that power?"

"It's horrible." Gina said. "To have all that power."

"I don't think so." Kyle disagreed. "It's not the power, it's the person who has it." Gina looked up at the Bostonian eletrokinetic.

"How?" She asked sadly. "How could Bobby use his power to do all that destruction?"

"Weren't you planning to do that too?" Kyle remembered.

"It's different in my case." Gina groused.

"No, it ain't." Kyle shook his head.

"Yes, it is." Gina countered. "The X-Men didn't do anything to Bobby, and he tried to kill them out of revenge. The Hellfire Club made me a mindless zombie, and their deaths will be deserved." Kyle snorted.

"The Thunderbolt's heard of the Hellfire Club." Kyle crossed his arms. "You're right about one thing, babe: They're scumbag jabronis." The Bostonian snorted. "But it would still be wrong."

"You don't understand…" Gina sighed.

"Oh, the Thunderbolt does understand." Kyle snorted. "They're scum. They're bottom of the barrel. You do this whole revenge kick, you'll be no better than them. Do you really want to be scum like them?" Gina thought about it.

"But they…" She protested weakly.

"Of _course_ they did!" Kyle groaned. "They're scum! It's what they do! They do it because they cannot do any freakin' better! Do you wanna be like them? Look what Vader just did! The Thunderbolt highly doubts all those X-Men did things to hurt him, but he tried to kill them **_all_**." Kyle sighed and sat down next to the plant manipulator. "Look, the Hellfire Club, they'll get what's coming to them. They got a lot more enemies, you know, like that psycho killer with the skull on his chest. They'll get theirs one day." Kyle reassured. "Don't worry about it. The best way to stick it to 'em is to turn your life around."

**Bayville Mall, present time**

"I knew it." Bobby snarled. "I knew it was only a matter of time." Bobby Drake, the insane young mutant known as Iceman, scowled at his former Freedom Force teammates. They were standing in positions that were indicating they were willing to fight, but they did not wish to.

"Bobby!" Karma called. "We don't want to have to fight you."

"Really?" Bobby snarled. "I don't believe you."

"Let 'em go, Bobby." John warned with a scowl.

"**_No._**" The ice-maker drawled angrily. "You will not deny me of my rightful wrath! None of you will!" Kyle's body started to crackle with electricity.

"Hey Vader!" Kyle called up at the mad Bobby. "You know water conducts electricity, right? Don't make the Thunderbolt have to use it on you." Bobby laughed.

"You think I'm afraid of a little sparkplug like you?" Bobby cackled madly. "I don't think so. I don't fear ANYTHING!"

"I say we take him down!" John growled.

"No!" Lila snapped. She turned to Bobby. "Bobby, stop this."

"No." Bobby shook his head. "I'm not going to let you lie to me! I'm not going to be betrayed again! Never!" He screamed in rage. "NEVER!" The blizzard around him kicked up with his anger, spreading the screaming Freedom Force everywhere.

"BOBBY!" Lila screamed as she hung on to a roof support. "STOP! PLEASE!"

"I'm not gonna let you use me again!" Bobby snarled up at Lila. "That was your plan, wasn't it?" He pointed around at the recovering mutant team. "That was all your plan, wasn't it? All of you. None of you cared about me. You all were planning to use me, to lead me on, and then turn on me and betray me and throw me away, right? Is that it? Huh?" He turned to a still struggling Lucas and Liz. He froze their watery bonds into tough thick ice. "I'll deal with you all later."

"No…" Naturally, because of his healing factor, Ace was the first to his feet. Bobby quickly turned and saw the feral.

"Well, Ace…" Bobby scowled. "I want the truth."

"What truth?" Ace growled.

"What do you think?" Bobby growled. "You never wanted to befriend me, did you? You never **intended** to befriend me, did you? You only pretended to be my friend."

"What're you talking about?" Ace blinked. "Hey man, I don't turn my back on those that I care about. I figured you needed a friend, Bobby. Look, you can believe me or not. But let me tell you something, Bobby. Ace Starr **never** betrays his friends. And I consider you a friend." Bobby shook his head.

"Oh, Ace, that is so sweet." Bobby laughed. "Unfortunately, I've been burned by a lot of people in my life, so you can forgive me if I don't take your word for it." With a yell, he quickly turned into his ice form and fired an ice beam at Ace, which the feral barely managed to dodge in time. "You think I'd ever trust **you?** I TRUST NO ONE! EVERYONE BETRAYS ME! I'M NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN! NEVER AGAIN!" Just before Bobby could whip up something devastating, John took a shot at him. With an Apache war cry, the powerful Native American mutant codenamed Thunderbird wailed into the crazed mutant. He nailed Bobby across the jaw, sending the screaming young insane ice-maker flying toward a wall. He hit the wall, changing into his watery state. He lunged towards John in the form of a waterspout, but a tornado appeared out of nowhere, catching the water and spinning it around. The seed was increased by Terrell zipping around and around at the bottom of the tornado.

"Didn't want to have to do this, man!" Terrell exclaimed as he zipped under the tornado. He then commanded the wind to slam him into the ground. With a THOOM, the tornado Terrell created with a combination of his super speed and wind-controlling powers lifted the blob of water that was Bobby and slammed him into the ground. The blizzard faded.

"That was easy." John blinked. The members of Freedom Force gathered around the crater that was created. They looked down. The smoke cleared, revealing the water reforming into a knocked-out Bobby.

"Is he dead?" Rictor wondered. Lila put her hands in front of her mouth. Gina stared sadly at the fallen former X-Man.

_God, is this worth it? Is this all revenge brings?_ Gina looked at Shiro. His mask didn't reveal much of his face, but his bowing head indicated some form of sadness. Bobby suddenly opened his eyes, revealing their blue glow, and his face quickly showed that he was royally ticked off. With a scream, the blizzard kicked up, throwing the shocked Freedom Force back a bit.

"YOU THINK YOU ALL CAN STOP ME?" Bobby roared angrily, floating out of the crater on a waterspout.

"Bobby!" Lila called to the ice-maker. "Please! Don't do this!"

"WHY SHOULDN'T I?" Bobby howled. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, LILA! YOU DON'T KNOW! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE NO ONE CARE ABOUT YOU! TO HAVE EVERYONE YOU EVER LOVE JUST SIMPLY TURN THEIR BACKS ON YOU!"

"I do, Bobby." Lila sighed sadly. "I know what that's like. I know what it's like to be that angry and that lonely. I really do."

"You lie…" Bobby snarled. "I'm not falling for it! How stupid do you think I am? Everyone thinks I'm stupid!"

_…I don't._ Lila sighed mentally.

"Bobby, listen to her!" Shiro piped up. "She's trying to help you!"

"Shut up!" Bobby snapped. "I will not be lied to or used ever again! I'm tired of it! My name is Robert Francis Drake. I am a man who has been SCREWED by **_EVERYONE!_** I WILL NOT BE TREATED LIKE A CLOWN AGAIN!" Sonic waves erupted behind Bobby, causing the mad ice-maker to scream and cover his ears.

"I'm sorry, man." Rictor apologized as he fired his sonic waves at Bobby. Gina and Kyle activated their powers, causing vines to erupt from the ground and electricity to flow from Kyle's fingers. The electricity formed restraints around Bobby, and the vines helped hold him in place.

"You'll thank the Thunderbolt for this later, jabroni. Trust him." Kyle grunted. Gina only sighed. Bobby screamed and struggled.

"I'm sorry, Bobby. I didn't want to have to do this…" Karma sighed. She looked into Bobby's eyes, and her eyes glowed.

**_Next: Sapphire Twilight Part 10: Shattered Ice_**_ Freedom Force get into the fight of their lives with the insane Iceman._


	39. Sapphire Twilight Part 10: Shattered Ice

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "I don't believe in vengeance." - Hal Jordan, Green Lantern: Rebirth**

**Author's Note: Okay, I just got told that the rule about no more review responses is actually a true rule. I'm really confused about this whole situation. I heard about the rule, heard it was a rumor, and now I hear it's an actual rule. Man, what is going on? I would like to know if it is an actual rule.**

Chapter 39: Sapphire Twilight Part 10: Shattered Ice

**Bayville Mall**

"Uhn…" Shan Coy, the mind-controlling leader of Freedom Force codenamed Karma, groaned as she tried to take control of the psychotic young mutant named Bobby Drake, codenamed Iceman. The young Vietnamese mutant girl strained with effort, sweat pouring down her brow.

"NEEEAAARGH! NRRRRRG! ARRRGH!" Bobby screamed primally, a pink glow around his head. The young mutant shook his head quickly, straining against the bonds of vines and electric chains created by his teammates Kyle Wildfire, the Boston-born electrokinetic codenamed Thunderbolt, and Gina Tolensky, the Italian-American plant-controller codenamed Botanica.

"Uhn…" Kyle strained in an effort to maintain his constructs. "Man, this jabroni is tough! And this here blizzard isn't helping us out much here." Kyle had indicated the blizzard that kicked up around Freedom Force. The blizzard, which Bobby caused, was linked to him. It grew in strength and power when he got angrier. And the bitter, insane Iceman was not a happy bunny.

"NO!" Bobby screamed. "NO! NEVER! STAY OUT OF MY MIND! NEEEEEAAAAARGH!"

"Uhn…" Shan dropped to one knee. "I…can't…get…."

"Whoa, man." Terrell winced.

"Yeah." John nodded. "I thought Shan could easily take over anyone's mind."

"Actually man, only those with strong wills can resist it." Terrell told the powerhouse Apache. The Compton-born speedster put his hand on his head to keep his hat on. "And I guess Bobby the Snow-Psycho over there has more than enough willpower for all of us."

"Mind…clouded…" Shan scowled. "Rage…so…much…rage…"

"Bobby!" Lila called up at the ice-maker. "Calm down! We don't want to fight you! Shan just wants to calm you down! Please! You'll kill somebody if this keeps up!"

"TOO LATE FOR THAT!" Bobby cackled. "I KILLED THE X-MEN! I MADE THEM ALL PAY!"

"But none of them are dead. We found them alive. Nearly drowned, but none of them are dead." John whispered to Shiro.

"But he doesn't appear to know that." Shiro whispered back. Meanwhile, Lucas was melting his way out of his icy restraints.

"Just me bloody luck this ice is tougher than normal ice." Lucas grumbled quietly, using fiery hands to try and melt his way out. The Scottish-mutant looked at Elizabeth, who had passed out. "Don't ye nae worry, me dear. I'll get ye out of there. And then…" He stared at the battle, and narrowed his eyes. "I'm going tae make Bobby Drake pay."

"I…can't…" Karma mumbled.

"NYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Bobby screamed angrily. The blizzard around him intensified.

"AGH!" Karma screamed, falling to all fours.

"Shan!" Ace and Rictor helped the Vietnamese mutant girl up.

"Rage…too…powerful…" Shan moaned. Bobby froze the vines that were holding him back, and he shattered them.

"Oh my God!" Gina exclaimed.

"Agh!" Kyle grunted as he took the mental backlash of Bobby breaking his constructs. "God, the Thunderbolt _hates_ it when that happens!"

"That's it!" John snarled. "I've had enough! We do this MY way!" John picked up a bench and pitched it at Bobby's icy body. Bobby turned, and the top half of his body got shattered by the bench. "Yeah!" He whooped. However, his happy face turned to shock when he saw the lower half of Bobby's body morph into water. "What the-?"

"John, look out!" Gina called out. The watery Bobby turned into a waterspout, and it hit Thunderbird hard, smashing him through a wall of a store where several panicky people were hiding.

"Oh, no!" Ace groaned.

"Nice try!" Bobby cackled at the powerhouse. He turned back into human form and looked around. "Lookit all the little people. What's the matter, folks? Never seen a psychotic superhuman before?" He cackled. He found himself narrowly dodging jets of fiery plasma, lightning, blue laser beams, a couple tornadoes, and waves of sonic energy. He turned and scowled at the members of Freedom Force. "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Bobby roared, transforming into a tidal wave. The wave slammed into the team of heroic mutants. "I'LL TURN THE WORLD INTO A FROZEN GRAVEYARD IF I HAVE TO! I **WILL** GET MY VENGEANCE! I **WILL** GET MY JUSTICE!"

"Justice THIS!" Kyle hit a watery Bobby with a blast of electricity. Bobby screamed in pain as the electricity hit his body. In his watery state, the crazed Iceman was **_extremely_** conductive of electricity, and it hurt him. "Sorry, Vader."

"NEEEEEEEEEARGH! RAAAAAAH!" A further-insane-with-pain Bobby fired two jets of ice at Freedom Force. They barely managed to dodge it.

"Keep hitting him, Kyle!" Rictor encouraged, blasting Bobby with sonic waves. Terrell zipped around the crazed ice-maker at incredible speed, trying to redirect the winds of Bobby's blizzard against him. Sunfire was flying around, pitching fireballs at Bobby. The flames would only annoy the ice-maker in his watery state, but annoyance was Sunfire's goal. Ace was helping Kyle by providing laser blasts from his claws. Gina was helping Karma and Lila evacuate the mall. "It's hurting him!" Kyle's fists started to spark.

"Hope you forgive the Thunderbolt for this, Vader." Kyle sighed sadly. He started blasting Bobby with more electricity.

"NEEEEEEEEEEARGH!" Bobby screamed in anger and pain. The young ice-maker was struggling. Kyle's pumping him with electricity was hurting him bad, the only attack that really did besides Rictor's sonic waves hurting his ears. Not to mention he had to deal with the annoyances created by Ace, Shiro, and fight off Terrell's attempts at attacking his blizzard. "I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! I KNEW YOU'D ALL BETRAY ME! IT NEVER ENDS! IT NEVER ENDS!" Bobby screamed. "NOTHING BUT BETRAYAL! IT NEVER ENDS!" Meanwhile, Lucas was busy freeing Elizabeth from her icy bonds.

"Uhn…" Elizabeth moaned weakly, finally getting a chance to fully breathe, thanks to Lucas melting away her icy bonds.

"Hush, me dear." Lucas reassured. "Save yuir breath. Just relax." He carefully used his flame to melt her out. _Just ye wait, Drake. As soon as I free __Elizabeth__, I'm comin' for ye._

"NYEEEEEAAAAARGH!" In a fit of desperation, Bobby fired jets of water in all directions from his hands. The desperation move forced Freedom Force to back off, giving Bobby several valuable seconds to recover. He was tired from the fighting, as evidenced by him changing back into human form.

"Not yet…" Bobby snarled. "Not yet…I'm not done…I will get my justice…"

"I got him!" Terrell raced up to Bobby and caught the ice-maker in a sleeper hold.

"LET GO!" Bobby screamed.

"Sorry, man." Terrell apologized. "But we need you to calm down HEY!" Bobby tried to struggle to get the hold off.

"LET GO!" Bobby screamed. "I'LL KILL YOU! LET ME GO!" He was still too frazzled and pained to change into a watery form. "LET GO!"

"There!" Lucas finally freed Elizabeth. The girl shrunk back to normal size and collapsed in his arms. The telepath stroked her hair. "It's okay, Elizabeth. Ye rest now." He turned to Bobby. "Now, it's my turn." He concentrated, and shot a powerful bolt of mental energy, which nailed Bobby right on target. With one final scream, Bobby fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Whoa…" Terrell blinked. "Man, a sleeper hold is awfully effective."

**_Next: Sapphire Fallout Part 1: Broken X_**_ The X-Men deal with the aftermath of Bobby's rampage._


	40. Sapphire Fallout Part 1: Shattered X

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering." - Yoda to Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars: Episode I**

Chapter 40: Sapphire Fallout Part 1: Shattered X

**The Xavier Institute**

A couple days had passed since the psychotic former X-Man and Freedom Force member Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, had rampaged. In a fit of pure insanity, Bobby used his powers, which had greatly increased in scope and strength, to attack the X-Men, intending on killing them. Thanks to the help of Freedom Force, the X-Men made it through, and there were no casualties.

"Well…" Storm reported to the students. "Everything is soaked and soggy. Otherwise, nothing here is too badly damaged."

"Thank Heaven for that." Piotr nodded. He was sitting on a soaked couch, his girlfriend Rogue sitting next to him, looking depressed. He looked at the Southerner. "Are you alright?" Rogue nodded sadly.

"Ah'm…Ah'm…Ah'm fine." Rogue mumbled.

"Vell…" Kurt looked up at Storm. "Everyone vill recover. Zat's a good sign. And ze babies turned out fine." The weather-manipulator nodded her head. It turned out Fury had found what appeared to be a sphere made of ice lying nearby the Institute, with several small holes at the top. The sphere was hollow, and it had the tiny X-Babies Imara Munroe and Toby McCoy contained inside, sleeping soundly.

"Yes." Storm sighed sadly. She smiled a little bit. "You are right, Kurt. At least we're all alive."

"Tell that to Sam." Danielle muttered. "He's half-dead thanks to Bobby the Snow-Psycho!"

"Yeah." Roberto agreed, holding the Cheyenne girl close. "What right did he have to pull all that? After all the X-Men had done for him!"

"It's not his fault." Jean mumbled.

"Are you **kidding** me?" Tabitha exclaimed at Jean. "That little madman froze you solid, shattered Warlock, and tried to drown us! And you say it's not his fault?"

"Tabby, calm down." Amara told the bomber.

"I've been in Bobby's mind, remember?" Jean told Tabitha. "God…I never was in a mind so…so…"

"Twisted?" Amara grunted.

"Warped?" Roberto suggested.

"Ungrateful?" Rogue growled.

"…Damaged." Jean sighed sadly.

"Damaged?" Scott blinked from the wall where he stood. Jean nodded.

"His mind was…was…" Jean shook her head. "I never saw so much anger in one mind. So much hatred…so much bitterness…yet…he was so lonely. He was lashing out."

"At what?" Scott blinked. "What did this to him? Where'd he go? Where had he **been?**"

"Canada." Jean told him. "He had been wandering around the frozen areas of Canada for several months…just…" She sighed sadly. "He just let his anger get to him. It consumed him."

"What started this?" Scott wondered.

"I think I may be able to answer that." Hank "Beast" McCoy walked into the room. "Luckily, the infirmary wasn't too badly damaged in the flood. All Sam did in there was mumble."

"Mumble?" Tabby blinked. "About what? What'd he say?"

"That it was his fault. And he was apologizing to Bobby." Hank shook his head. "That's all he was doing."

"Maybe once he regains consciousness, we can find out what happened between them." Jean suggested. Forge walked in. "How's Warlock?"

"Confused." Forge sighed. "Luckily, all we had to do was thaw his pieces out, and he was able to fix himself up. He's wondering what just happened."

"You can tell him Bobby's just a jerk, that's what!" Amara grunted.

"Like, yeah." Kitty agreed. "What was he _thinking?_"

"He was in pain." Jean countered. While the X-Men started to argue, Forge walked away. He went outside, where he saw Warlock sitting at the wrecked fountain, looking depressed. The Native American mutant inventor walked up to the Technarc.

"Hey 'Lock." He greeted. "You alright?"

"…Self…" Warlock shook his head. "Self…confused…Self…sad."

"What's up?"

"Self-friend Bobby." Warlock sighed. "It does not compute. Query: How did Self-friend Bobby become like Self's people?"

"You mean the way he acted." Forge reasoned. Warlock nodded.

"Self-friend Bobby is joker. Prankster. Yet, today, he is angry. Self-friend Bobby became someone else. He tried to kill Self. Kill Self-friends." He looked up at Forge. "Why? Self did nothing wrong to Self-friend Bobby, but Self-friend Bobby try to kill Self and all Self-friends anyway. Why?" Warlock asked sadly. Forge sighed.

"I don't know, Warlock." Forge admitted with a sad sigh. "I really do not know. You see Warlock, there are many things about us humans even humans themselves do not understand." He looked up at the alien techno-organic life form. "I guess…sometimes, humans get angry. And in some cases, humans hold in that anger, even though we really shouldn't. Eventually, if too much anger is held in for too long, it's released in bad ways."

"Self-friend Bobby told Self that Self betrayed him." Warlock shook his head. "But Self would _never_ betray Self-friends! Why would Self-friend Bobby assume that Self…" He dipped his head again. Forge sighed. How do you explain the darker nature of humanity to an innocent alien who came from a society that was nothing **but** that darker side of humanity?

"Well, Warlock…" Forge sighed. "Bobby didn't become like this out of the blue. You can't suddenly become crazy like him. A change like that happens over a long period of time. Something like this always starts with a person being hurt. Whatever hurt Bobby and caused him to change like this…it hurt him bad, Warlock. Real bad." Meanwhile, while the X-Men were convalescing, Xavier was sitting in his office and talking to Nick Fury.

"I can't believe this happened." Xavier sighed. "And to Bobby, no less." He turned his wheelchair. "Bobby wasn't the most academic student, but he was a good kid. His love of humor really brightened up the Institute." He shook his head. "How could he have changed so much?"

"I wish I knew, Professor." Fury sighed. "Kid was a ticking time bomb, and I didn't even see it coming. Nobody did."

"Did he tell you anything?" Xavier wondered. Fury shook his head.

"Anyone who ever tried to talk to him got shut down." Fury remembered. "The only one who ever could make anything _remotely_ resembling any headway with him was Starway."

"Starway?" Xavier raised an eyebrow.

"Starway. That's the codename for one of Freedom Force's." Fury explained. "Lila Cheney. She's had it rough as a kid. You would not believe how she came about joining us. I barely believed it myself."

"My X-Men have been through some insanity in the past themselves." Xavier nodded.

"So I have heard." Fury looked around at Xavier's waterlogged office. Xavier nodded at Fury's look.

"I still cannot believe it myself." Xavier sighed. "Why couldn't Bobby talk to me? Why did he have to do this? I spent months looking for him."

"Keep in mind Professor, he's still a kid." Fury sighed. "Maybe he felt like you couldn't help him…or you wouldn't care enough to try."

**Stokes Maximum Security Prison**

Stokes was the maximum security containment facility that held superhuman criminals. It was the holding place of the notorious invincible powerhouse known as the Juggernaut. It also had a mental ward. Within one of the padded cells in that area was Bobby Drake. He was dressed in white, and in a straitjacket. Around his neck was a collar. A collar designed to shut off mutant powers. He was sitting with his back to the wall, semi-long brown hair falling over his face, obscuring it completely.

"Make it end…Make it end…Make it end…"

**_Next: Sapphire Fallout Part 2: Shiro's Story_**_ As Freedom Force deals with the events of Sapphire Twilight, Gina Tolensky/Botanica makes a life-altering decision, and she wishes to know why Shiro Yoshida/Sunfire, was intent on taking her under his wing._


	41. Sapphire Fallout Part 2: Shiro's Story

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Well, don't blame me. _I_ voted for Kodos." - Homer Simpson, The Simpsons.**

**Author's Note: Hey fans! L1701E here! Basically, in the chapter, I took the history of one of the members of Freedom Force from the comics, and made a couple slight alterations, due to the character's age in the fic. I hope you all enjoy!**

Chapter 41: Sapphire Fallout Part 2: Shiro's Story

**Bayville Mall**

The building that was once the Bayville Mall was a wreck. The glass panels were shattered, stores were wrecked, walls were frozen, and people were frayed. The local police were gathered around the area, and with them was Contessa Fontaine, the adult caretaker of Freedom Force. She was explaining to them what was going on, and how to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, in a nearby alley, a figure dressed in a hat and trenchcoat was watching the scene, the darkness obscuring the figure.

"Perfect…" The figure grinned widely. "Absolutely perfect. This area will be a great spot to begin. Those X-Men clowns are down, and Freedom Force and those rejects Nightshift are also unable to do anything at the moment. I can destroy them all with practically one blow." The figure's eyes started glowing electronic green.

**Freedom Force HQ**

"I knew this would happen." John "Thunderbird" Proudstar groused. "I _knew_ this would happen. We let that twisted psycho Drake into the team, and look what happened." The young mutants were recovering at Freedom Force headquarters. They were feeling pretty dismal. After all, not too long ago, one of their own went mad and went on a rampage. They were sitting in their meeting room.

"Don't start, John. **Please** don't start." Lila grunted, lying back on her chair.

"Oh, come on, Cheney!" The Apache powerhouse snapped at the dark-haired interstellar teleporter. "You can't be telling me that you're still sticking up for him!"

"Man, this is bad. Real bad, man." Rictor sighed, shaking his head. The Mexican sonic generator was sitting on the couch, a bandage around his head. "What did this to him?"

"Whatever it was, it screwed ol' Drake up badly." Ace "Wildstar" Starr sighed. He was sitting with his feet up on the table, his normal position. Terrell "Velocity" Mason sighed.

"You know, I think Bobby is a bit of a jerk, to be honest with you." The Compton-born speedster admitted honestly. "I really did. But, my grandma is a church-goer, and she would tell me that forgiveness is an important virtue."

"Sounds like your grandma was a good woman." Lila nodded.

"She is." Terrell nodded. "I get in trouble, she put me in line."

"I hate this." John growled. "We let that lunatic Drake run around and look what happened! Mr. I'm-An-Angry-Jerk goes insane, and tries to kill us!" John angrily slammed his fist on the table, nearly breaking it. "I thought he was a little punk from the moment he nearly let me fall off a cliff!"

"The Thunderbolt thinks that something is seriously up here." Kyle crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Don't tell me you're still on the Bobby Bandwagon." John groaned.

"It's just the Thunderbolt thinks that this whole thing with Bobby is kinda like Star Wars." Kyle noted.

"Yeah, that's why you kept calling him Anakin." Lila noted. Kyle nodded.

"Yeah." He confirmed. "Iceman reminds the Thunderbolt of Anakin Skywalker."

"Great, the sci-fi geek speaks." John praised sarcastically. "We have all just grown a little wiser by being in his presence." Kyle glared.

"Don't you start knockin' sci-fi, jabroni! The Thunderbolt has seen you watch Star Trek, and he knows you envy Captain Kirk, Birdbrain." Kyle shot back. John growled.

"Alright you two, break it up." Shan "Karma" Coy held out her hands to keep them in their seats. "Bobby's locked up at Stokes now."

"It's not right, Karma." Lila sighed. "It really isn't. Poor guy is in there all alone."

"It's more than what he deserves if you ask me." John groused. Ace got up.

"I'm going over there to pay a visit to him." The feral announced. "He needs a friend." Kyle noticed something.

"Hey, where's Gina? And Sushi?" Kyle noted.

"Awww, you miss Gina." Shan teased.

"Oh shut up." Kyle growled, cheeks slightly reddening. On the roof of the headquarters, one Gina "Botanica" Tolensky was sitting cross-legged, staring up at the night sky.

"As you Americans would say, penny for your thoughts?" A voice piped up, unintentionally interrupting Gina. The Italian-American girl looked to the side and saw Shiro hovering nearby. He bowed. "Forgive me for interrupting you." Gina blinked.

"It's okay." Gina nodded. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Something bothering you?" The Japanese solar-powered mutant sat down next to Gina.

"Just…" She shook her head. "Just all the stuff today. With Bobby and all the stuff he did…" She sighed. "Why? I knew him before all this. What did all this to him?" Shiro sighed.

"I wish I knew." The Solar Samurai admitted. "But I can imagine why." Gina blinked. "I saw it in his eyes. He wanted revenge. He let it consume him. I've seen eyes like his before. A long time ago. It started many years ago." He looked at Gina. "Do you know how the Second World War ended?"

"Not really." Gina shook her head. "I was never a history fan." Shiro nodded.

"The war ended when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on my home country of Japan. In particular, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs devastated my country. It destroyed cities, killed innumerable amounts of people on impact and later on due to radiation, and wounded Japan's pride. It forced Japan's surrender. One of the survivors was my grand-uncle Tomo."

"It must've hurt him deeply." Gina sympathetically put her hand on the older mutant's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"You do not need to apologize. It was not your fault." Shiro reassured. "Let me continue. Anyway, my grand-uncle was a nationalist through-and-through, a proud supporter of the Emperor. He had lost his immediate family due to the bombs, and he was angered by Japan's surrender. He eventually grew to hate the United States. He had a nephew."

"A nephew?"

"Yes." Shiro nodded. "My father, Saburo Yoshida. In a twist of irony, he ended up becoming a diplomat. He was a good man. He raised me and my sister alone for a lot of our lives."

"You have a sister?" Gina's eyes widened. Shiro's face formed a small smile.

"Yes. Her name is Leyu. She's a mutant like myself with the same powers I have. Perhaps I will let you meet her sometime. Anyway, Leyu and I pretty much grew up without a mother. She died of cancer when we were very young. My father and grand-uncle Tomo did not get along too well. They always disagreed. Tomo accused my father of being a traitor. My father told Tomo that the past should remain in the past. Anyway, despite my father's influence, Tomo convinced Leyu and I of his beliefs and that our father was wrong." He looked at Gina. "As you can see, I have quite a family." Gina nodded.

"Yeah." Gina blinked. "I guess he didn't take it too well that you were mutants."

"My father mostly never knew." Shiro responded. "Tomo first noticed that we may have been mutants when during a fire, he noticed that me and Leyu seemed rather unaffected by the heat of the flames. One day, he took us to Hiroshima, and he had us touch some of the soil."

"Why?" Gina blinked.

"Because even though it has been decades since the bombs were dropped, there are still traces of radiation in the area." Shiro explained. "Anyway, when we touched the soil, our powers emerged."

"How…how did Tomo react?" Gina blinked.

"He was thrilled." Shiro remembered. "He believed it was divine. He found his way to get revenge: Use the power that his grand-niece and grand-nephew possessed to attack the United States in the name of Japan. My father never knew. Tomo secretly taught us how to use our powers and he gave us our costumes and codenames of Sunfire and Sunpyre." Shiro looked up at the sky. "The moment I shall never forget. Tomo took me and Leyu and secretly followed my father to Washington, D.C. My father was there for a conference. To make a long story short, Sunpyre and myself attacked the United States Capitol, where the conference members were at the time. They had to call the National Guard on us."

"Wow." Gina blinked.

"During the battle, our masks got blown off. Saburo recognized us and he was horrified. He told us what were doing was wrong, and we were just furthering the dreams of a bitter old man. Of course, being as young as we were, we ignored him. We told him he had forgotten about Japan. He countered that there were mistakes, but the time had come to forgive, learn, and go on. After a conversation, we realized he had a point. Tomo couldn't let go of his anger at America. He…" The Japanese mutant drooped his head. "He leapt out of the crowd, and cried out that my father was a traitor." A small tear dropped down Shiro's eye. "He…he shot my father and killed him. Right in front of us. As he laid dying in mine and Leyu's arms, he forgave us and told us to use our powers for peace. He also told us that he loved us, and to not let revenge take over our lives like Tomo did. Overcome by rage, I incinerated Tomo." Shiro sighed sadly. Gina couldn't believe it.

"Didn't you get in trouble?" Gina blinked. Shiro shook his head.

"No. Diplomatic immunity." Shiro sighed. "After we returned to Japan, Leyu and I became Japan's National Heroes as a form of penance we put upon ourselves. That's one of the reasons I joined Freedom Force, despite my initial desire to refuse." There was silence between the two for a small while.

"Do…do you miss them?" Gina wondered. Shiro nodded silently.

"Yes. I sometimes think about them. I did love them." Shiro sighed. "I do miss them very much. At some time, Tomo was a good man. And my father was a good man himself." He looked at Gina. "You see? I know what revenge can do. It nearly destroyed my family." Gina nodded.

"Yeah." The Italian-American girl agreed. "I see that now. Your grand-uncle Tomo wanted revenge against America, and it consumed and killed him. Bobby wanted revenge, and now look at him." Shiro nodded. Gina sighed. "I guess revenge isn't worth it."

"No." Shiro shook his head. "It's not." Gina nodded.

"I see what you're trying to do, Shiro." Gina sighed sadly. She looked up at Shiro, a tear in her eye. "I get it. I'd be no better than the Hellfire Club if I went after them for revenge."

"Indeed." Shiro smiled. "I'm glad you understand now."

"I do." Gina nodded. "I see it now. I really do."

**_Next: Sapphire Fallout Part 3: Confrontation_**_ Ace pays a visit to Bobby Drake in Stokes, and __Elizabeth__ confronts Lucas over an incident at the Institute a long time ago._


	42. Sapphire Fallout Part 3: Confrontation

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "You were supposed to destroy the Sith! Not join them!"**

Chapter 42: Sapphire Fallout Part 3: Confrontation

**Stokes Maximum Security Prison**

"Be careful down there, man." A voice called. "He's crazy."

"Yeah, thanks. I will." Ace Starr responded. He walked down the hall of the prison until he found himself looking at the door of the cell that Bobby Drake was in. The door was clear, allowing him to easily view of the inside of the cell. The young feral sighed. _Man, how bad can things get?_ Ace sighed, then spoke up. "Bobby? Bobby, you in there?" Bobby Drake looked up from his sitting position. He turned his head to the door.

"Ace?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's me." Ace nodded. "You alright?"

"What do you think?" Bobby grumbled. His face formed a scowl. "I hope you're happy."

"About what?"

"What do you think? What you did to me." Bobby growled. "I'm shackled up like an animal. I can't use my powers, and I'm stuck in this God-forsaken place!"

"What?" Ace blinked.

"You were going to betray me!" Bobby snapped. "You were going to turn on me and throw me away like garbage!"

"Oh, really?" Ace crossed his arms.

"Yeah. Everyone else did." Bobby remembered. "My parents turned on me, the X-Men turned on me, Elizabeth turned on me…"

"Why?" Ace asked. "What happened with all of them?"

"What do you think?" Bobby snapped. "My parents hated me because of my powers, I dunno why the X-Men hated me, and Elizabeth led me on!"

"Elizabeth? The blonde girl from Nightshift?" Ace blinked.

"No, Elizabeth Knightley, sister of Kiera. WHO DO YOU THINK?" Bobby snapped. "That blonde tramp. She led me on. She made me think she loved me!"

"Based on what I heard between the two of you, it seemed like she had no idea you felt that way about her." Ace told the ice-maker. Bobby growled.

"I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"You're not going to listen to me, are you?" Bobby snarled. "I knew it. You're taking her side! Why can't you take my side? Why does everybody take sides against me?"

"I'm not taking sides, I'm just trying to figure out what happened between the two of you." Ace told the ice-maker calmly. "Based on how you spoke about her back in the mall, it seemed like something very bad happened between the two of you."

"No, duh." Bobby cracked smarmily. "It was her fault anyway."

"What happened?" Ace blinked. Bobby scowled.

"Why should I tell you? You wouldn't listen."

"Try me." Ace grunted. "Look, man. I wanna help you. I think of you as a friend, and Ace Starr never turns his back on his friends. Just tell me what happened!"

"You wouldn't believe me! Just leave me alone!" Bobby snapped. "You never would understand, Ace!"

"She broke your heart, huh?" Ace deduced. Bobby growled.

"Don't. Go. There." Bobby growled. "She had no right!"

"Just tell me what happened." Ace tried to get through to the ice-maker.

"You wouldn't believe me, Ace." Bobby scowled. "You wouldn't know. You've never been there. Just leave me alone!" Ace sighed.

_This is going to be a loooong night._ Ace sighed to himself.

**Dark Hollow**

The team of young mutants known as Nightshift was busy repairing their home after Bobby's rampage.

"Alright…" Lucas stood in front of a house. Lorna Dane, the green-haired magnetism manipulator codenamed Polaris, was using her powers to levitate several small nails. She levitated them toward a board. "Easy…easy…hold it…good…" Lucas hammered them in. "Thanks." He nodded thankfully.

"Meh." Lorna shrugged, walking away. "Whatever." Meanwhile, Elizabeth Guthrie, the blonde mutant codenamed Amazon, walked to the edge of the reservoir. She sat down next to Sammy Pare, the young fish-like mutant.

"Here you go, Sammy." Elizabeth smiled, handing Sammy a steaming mug. "Some nice hot chocolate for you."

"Thank you." Sammy took the mug and sipped from it. The blonde girl and the young mutant boy seemed to develop a sort of mother-son bond during their time in Nightshift. The bond changed the two quite a lot over time. It made the young Sammy more confident, and it softened Amazon up to a degree. He noticed that Lizzie was staring out at the reservoir. "Elizabeth? What're you looking at?" Elizabeth blinked.

"Nothing." Lizzie quickly shook her head to get her mind back on track. "Nothing at all. Ah was just thinking about something."

"About that Iceman guy?" Sammy deduced. Lizzie sighed. Why did the fish-boy have to be so sharp? "Lucas told me he was a miserable psychopath." Lizzie remembered the incident at the Bayville Mall.

**_Begin Flashback_**

"Bobby…" Lizzie stammered. "Ah…Ah…Ah never intended to lead you on." She tried to calm the insane enraged ice-maker. "If Ah did, Ah'm sorry. Ah know why you're doing this. Ah understand." She looked up at him. At his eyes. The ice blue eyes that showed intense anger, but also hid away a great amount of pain. "Ah just want you to know, Ah''m not mad at you. Ah know you didn't intend to hurt anyone. Ah am not angry at you for causing my miscarriage. If Ah didn't know, then you couldn't have. Please, Bobby. Just stop this. Stop before someone gets killed. Killing Lucas won't make me love you. And it won't heal your pain, either. It'll just make it worse." Lizzie begged. "Ah don't hate you, Bobby. Ah just want to help you." Bobby laughed at that.

"Help me?" Bobby laughed. "**_HELP_** ME? You took my dignity, and you want to help me! You made me look heartless! You made me look like a murderous fool, and you want to HELP ME? I lost my **_friends_** because of you! I lost a **_family_** because of you!" Tears started to come down Bobby's eyes. "You don't care in the least! You really make me sick! I'M THE VICTIM HERE!" The blizzard grew in intensity with Bobby's rage. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR PRECIOUS LUCAS DID TO ME? HE TRIED TO KILL ME!" Lizzie's face betrayed confusion. "Don't look at me like you don't know! While you were recovering in the Institute! You had your precious boyfriend ATTACK ME! He nearly crushed me like an egg! He called me a murderer!" Lizzie's eyes widened, and she gaped in shock.

_He may be talkin' crazy, but Ah don't think he was lying about that last part._ Lizzie realized. _If it's true…Oh mah God…What'd Ah do? Ah was so intent on distancing mahself from the rest of mah family that…Oh God, What'd Ah do? This is mah fault!_ A couple tears started coming down her eyes. "Bobby…is that true?"

"Yeah. It is." Bobby scowled. "You sent him out to attack me for revenge. It didn't work. I'm still here. I've played that memory in my head over and over non-stop. Every minute of every day, for months, I've relived that pain. And it was all because of you." Bobby pointed a glowing hand at Elizabeth, making the blonde shudder.

**_End Flashback_**

"He wasn't always like that, Sammy." Lizzie corrected. "He was once a good person. He just let his bitterness and his anger get the better of him and consume him."

"Why?" Sammy blinked. Lizzie sighed and bowed her head.

"Sometimes, when a person gets hurt really bad, they hold in all the pain and the hurt until they can't take it anymore and they snap." Lizzie explained. They don't let it out because maybe they're too afraid to, or in Bobby's case…he felt alone. Maybe he felt no one would understand his pain." Lizzie sighed and got up. "Ah gotta go, little guy. Ah gotta talk to Lucas." Sammy nodded. Lizzie walked into the abandoned town. She walked into the house that she shared with the telepath, and saw Lucas fixing some kind of gadget. "Lucas?" The Scottish blond looked up.

"Aye?"

"Can…can Ah talk to you about something?" The Kentucky-born girl asked. Lucas blinked.

"About what?" Lucas blinked. "I nae understand."

"I wanna talk about the whole incident at the mall. With Bobby." Lizzie started.

"What about that psychopath?" Lucas muttered. Lizzie sighed.

"During his whole rampage, Bobby claimed that while Ah was healing at the Institute, Ah sent you to get revenge on him." Lizzie explained. "He told me you tried to kill him."

"He's insane." Lucas scoffed. "Probably just a psychotic rant."

"Ah dunno." Lizzie crossed her arms. "When he tried to crush us with water, he said it was exactly what you did to him, only you used telekinesis instead of water." Lucas groaned.

"He's crazy, Elizabeth." Lucas told the blonde girl. "He's locked up in a madhouse."

"What happened between the two of you at the Institute?" Lizzie narrowed her eyes. "And don't you _dare_ lie to me." Lucas sighed.

"After ye were hurt…" Lucas sighed. "I was mad. I was incensed. I could nae believe that Bobby could simply do that to you…"

**_Begin Flashback_**

Lucas spun around as Bobby came out of the mansion. He narrowed his eyes.

"**_You._**" He growled, hovering up into the air. "**You're** the reason she's in there now!" Bobby glanced at the door of the mansion in a panic. He could still make it through into the safety of inside, activate Defcon 4, and close the mansion up. Unfortunately, before he even put a step towards the door, he was surrounded by a ring of fire, blocking his escape.

"Ye cannae hide things from a telepath." Lucas pointed out with an evil smirk. Bobby squeaked, huddling in the middle of the fire, further away from the flames. He HATED fire. It was in his very mutant nature to stay away from it. His body never coped well when he was exposed to extreme heat.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Bobby gulped, sending out a mental shout to the Professor for help.

"Gettin' payback." Lucas growled. He then smirked. "Me Da didn't quite get that message. I blocked it off. It's not a problem, is it?" Bobby flinched away as the flames grew closer to him.

"I'm sorry I attacked Elizabeth, okay?" The ice-maker snapped in indignation. "I was angry!"

"Angry? ANGRY?" Lucas exclaimed. "You havnae **_seen_** angry, ye low life, little murderer?" He grabbed Bobby up out of the fire telekinetically, holding him above the flames.

"_Murderer?_" A confused and scared Bobby exclaimed. "But Lizzie's not dead! She's fine!"

"I'm nae talkin' about Lizzie." Lucas snarled, telekinetically throwing Bobby roughly against a wall of the mansion. Bobby managed a grunt of pain, before icing up, sending an ice blast at Lucas. It did no good, however. A burst of flame melted the ice into nothing before it even made contact. "Ye just attacked her without thinking about the consequences of your actions." Lucas held a hand up and closed his fist. As Lucas made the action, Bobby gasped in pain. His icy form was cracking around him, crunching close to him. It was squeezing his vital organs together. He tried to suck in a breath, but his windpipe was closing up too. He made a weak attempt to struggle away as his vision became blurred. Then…suddenly, it all stopped. The pressure was released and he fell to the floor with a thud, gasping for breath.

"You're not worth the energy." Lucas scowled. "But see that as a warning. If ye cross my path again, ye won't be so lucky." With that, he flew off away from the mansion, not moving too far away...he wanted to know when Lizzie was awake again. Bobby gasped, getting shakily to his feet, powering down. Battered and bruised, he limped back inside the mansion to his room, a look of grim determination on his face.

_First Lizzie embarrasses me and breaks my heart, now her boyfriend attacks me. They'll pay. I'll make them pay for this. _Bobby mentally vowed, rage building up within the young man.

**_End Flashback_**

Lizzie was aghast. She covered her mouth with her hands. Lucas sighed and rubbed his eyes with one hand.

"It was a very emotional outburst." He sighed guiltily. "I had no bloody idea he'd come back and cause all that."

"Ah…Ah…" She stammered. "No wonder he came back! No wonder he tried to kill us!" Lizzie exclaimed. He voice and face showed a mix of shock, horror, and anger. "Ah…Ah…Ah can't believe you, Lucas! Ah can't believe you did something so heartless!"

"I have no excuse, Liz." Lucas sighed guiltily. "I was just so angry at him. He hurt me really badly when he caused ye to fall off that Cliffside."

"It was an accident!" Lizzie exclaimed. "Ah can't believe you! Ah really can't." She started to tear up. "Didn't you realize what you did? You _caused_ all this! This all came from you! He wanted to kill me, but not as much as he wanted to kill **you!**" Lizzie panted. "He was willing to kill _innocent people_ just to get to you!"

"Lizzie, I…" Lucas shook his head. "I…I didn't mean to cause all of it!"

"Well, you did!" Lizzie snapped. "Didn't you think that maybe he was feeling guilty enough about that incident without you having to bully him like that? WHAT RIGHT DID YOU HAVE?"

"Why are ye standing up for him?" Lucas snapped back. "He caused ye to fall off a Cliffside! He murdered our unborn child!"

"It wasn't his fault, Lucas!" Lizzie told the telepath, her eyes misty. "He had no idea Ah was pregnant. Ah wasn't showin'. He was broken-hearted, Lucas. Ah feel responsible for this. If Ah had known how he…" She shook her head, and started to leave.

"Lizzie…" Lucas reached out towards Lizzie. Lizzie held up her hand, stopping him.

"Ah know why you did what you did, Lucas." Lizzie said. "Ah was angry at Bobby for a while, too. But Ah realized there was a lot of things he didn't know. Ah'm sure if he knew about mah…condition at the time, he would've backed off. God, Ah was so intent on being the 'black sheep' of the family. Ah was so intent on rebelling that Ah never noticed how mah actions were affecting others…nor did Ah notice how others were feeling about me. Ah didn't know he…he…" Lizzie sobbed. Lucas sighed.

"Ye didn't try tae kill the X-Men, though." Lucas reassured. "Bobby did. Now he's paying for it."

"But he's suffered enough." Lizzie sighed. "Ah just can't believe…God, how did things come to this? How did things get so bad?" Lucas sighed.

"I don't know." Lucas admitted. "But the damage is done. Bobby got what he deserved." He left the room. Lizzie watched him leave, then sighed.

_God, how did things get so crazy?_ Lizzie mentally wondered. _Ah can't believe all this has happened. Ah feel so bad for Bobby right now. He brought all this on himself, and all this happened to him because of a broken heart…and just a series of bad events._

**_Next: Sapphire Fallout Part 4: Breakthrough_**_ Lila Cheney pays a visit to Stokes. Meanwhile, a certain evil English mutant prepares to start remaking the world, starting in Bayville…_


	43. Sapphire Fallout Part 4: Breakthrough

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "What is your major malfunction!"**

Chapter 43: Sapphire Fallout Part 4: Breakthrough

**Bayville Mall**

"Heh heh…" Vincent James, the psychotic English mutant codenamed Virus, snickered evilly to himself as he placed a device on the ground. He had snuck into the wrecked mall, and decided that it was the perfect spot to start his campaign to remake the world. The device looked like a combination of the organic steel generator and the nanite generator. "Let the end of the organic world begin…" He turned on the device. "Yes…" Virus smirked as the silver liquid that was the nanites left the device. "Yes…Remake, me soldiers. Remake the world. And I shall punish those who dare try to stop our divine mission." Virus rolled up the sleeve of his trenchcoat. He watched the skin on his arm transform from pale flesh into shiny metal a la Colossus. "Especially now since I am stronger than ever…" His steel hand morphed into some odd launcher device. He pointed it up into the air, and fired what appeared to be a swarm of metallic insects. "Go." He told the swarm. "Go infect every machine in town. Give the organics the ultimate distraction." He watched the swarm fly away.

**Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles**

Ace Starr, the leonine feral mutant codenamed Wildstar, sat on the roof of Freedom Force's headquarters. Uncharacteristically of the fun-loving musician, Ace was rather down. He sat on the roof, plucking one of his guitars, a blue acoustic guitar with his name printed on the neck in fancy silver lettering. He was playing a sad-sounding tune, occasionally looking up at the night sky, staring up at the stars.

"Hey, Wildstar." A Boston-accented voice greeted. Ace turned his head to the side and he saw Kyle Wildfire, the Bostonian electrokinetic codenamed Thunderbolt, hovering next to the roof, his body covered in a yellow electrical aura. "Mind if the Thunderbolt takes a seat?"

"Yeah, sure." Ace shrugged. With a thankful nod, Kyle flew over the roof and landed in a sitting position next to Ace. The feral mutant went back to plucking his guitar. Kyle watched him for a few minutes.

"Blues, huh?"

"Just something I'm making up." Ace shrugged. "Ever since I was four, I played guitar whenever I felt down or stressed."

"…Looks like the meeting with Bobby didn't go well." Kyle deduced. "What happened?"

"Well…" Ace sighed. "Bobby wouldn't talk to me. He kept telling me I would betray and that I never intended to be his friend." Kyle blinked.

"Talk about paranoid." The Bostonian shook his head.

"Yeah." Ace shook his head sadly. "I don't get it. I was hoping Bobby would confide in me. You know, I could see that he was a lot like me at some point. You know, I could tell. He was at some point a good kid. I hoped that maybe if I could give him an ear, he could open up, and let go of what was bothering him." Kyle nodded.

"Well, the Thunderbolt's Grandpa Wildfire had a saying." Kyle remembered. "You can open a door for someone, but it's up to that someone to walk through it." He looked at Ace. "I'm sure Bobby did want you as a friend, but his anger and his bitterness probably kept telling him not to trust. And since that anger was all he had for a long time, it became his guide."

"Yeah, I guess." Ace shrugged. He looked at Kyle. "You know, I'm not mad at Bobby. I can understand him being pushed to the edge, and beyond it. You can only be so bitter and so vengeful and so angry for so long before they snap."

"A wise man once said that anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering." Kyle quoted in agreement.

"Yoda said that, didn't he?" Ace blinked. Kyle smiled.

"Wise one, Yoda is." Kyle nodded. "The Thunderbolt has to go check on Gina."

"You so dig her." Ace teased. "By the way, where's Lila?"

"Stokes." Kyle remembered as he flew down. "She's going to try and talk to him. Although, if you ask the Thunderbolt, she's doing it for a lot more than sympathy."

**Stokes Maximum Security Facility**

"Drake!" A guard called into the ice-maker's cell. "You got a visitor!"

"Lucky me." Bobby muttered. He looked up at the door. "You…"

"Hi, Bobby." Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway waved.

"What do you want?" Bobby scowled.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing. If you were alright." Lila answered.

"Do you like this?" Bobby growled. "Do you like seeing me like this? Huh?" He started panting heavily. "I got locked away like some animal!"

"No." Lila admitted, shaking her head. "I don't. I've been shackled before." Bobby snorted.

"Oh, I'm sure." Bobby snorted disbelievingly. "I'm sure that you do. You have no idea, Cheney." Bobby scowled. "You don't have any idea what it's like. To feel like no one cares about you. To feel like everyone turned their backs on you for no reason! I made a mistake, and I got treated like a criminal!"

"You think I don't?" Lila told the ice-maker determinedly. "You'd be surprised, Bobby."

"Oh, I'm sure." Bobby scowled.

"You don't really know me, Drake." Lila crossed her arms. "You're not the only one in the world who's ever felt alone and betrayed. Believe me, I've been betrayed. In ways that you cannot even imagine."

"I was used, Lila. I was used, and thrown away."

"So was I." Lila sat down on the floor, turning her head towards the door. "I got my back turned on by people who were supposed to love me, too."

"Yeah, right." Bobby snorted. "I don't believe you. You never were betrayed. You got your friends…your family." Lila snorted back.

"Tch. My _family_." Lila snorted. "I hate my family. I never want to see them ever again. You see…" Lila let out a sigh. This was going to be rough. "I never really had it easy as a child. I grew up in a tough family. The less said about _them_, the better. Anyway, a few years back, I first discovered my powers. Scariest day of my life. My parents…" She looked down sadly. "They looked at me like I had turned into a monster right in front of them. Not long after, a ship tracked me to Earth. The alien occupant, Spyder, offered money for me." A tear came down her face. "They sold me. They just sold me to him. Just to get rid of me. My old man looked at me with such hatred as I got dragged into the ship."

"You got sold to an _alien?_" Bobby's face showed disbelief. "And they say **_I'm_** insane!" Lila's face contorted in anger. She opened her mouth to snap at Bobby, but then she remembered that her story was rather unbelievable, and her temper cooled.

"…Yeah, I don't blame you." Lila nodded. "It is rather unbelievable. I can hardly believe it myself sometimes, and I lived it. I became one of Spyder's space slaves. I suffered a lot of torture and abuse thanks to him. To make a long story short, I managed to escape. However, not without a cost." Lila sighed. "I ended up a lot like you, Bobby. Hardened, bitter, untrustworthy…the only thing that kept me going was the hope I could get my revenge on my family." Lila looked up at the sky. "Soon, my hatred spread to the entire Earth. Believe it or not, when I first met Nick Fury, I was an enemy."

"What?" Bobby blinked.

"I battled SHIELD when I tried to steal electronic components to build a stargate." Lila remembered. She smirked. "I gave them quite a fight."

"What was this stargate thing for?" Bobby wondered.

"To send Earth itself to another place. I was planning to sell off all the inhabitants, just like my family did to me." Lila sighed. Bobby was thinking while Lila spoke.

_This is all garbage._ Bobby thought. _Sold to an alien slave driver? Please. This sounds like something from an 80s comic book._ He looked at Lila's face. _And yet…yet…it may be all true, based on how she is acting._

"Anyway, to make another long story short, I captured Nick Fury, and he made me realize I was doing the wrong thing. In the end, I shut off the gate, and I turned myself in. I found my solace in music in the joint." Lila smiled. "In fact, I wrote quite a few songs in jail. I was allowed my freedom when Fury first formed Freedom Force, and the rest is history." Lila looked at Bobby. "So, you see? I know. I know what it's like. I understand those feelings. You heard my story…now let me hear yours." Bobby looked at Lila.

"No." Bobby answered.

"Why?" Lila asked.

"Your story is insane, and you wouldn't listen to me." Bobby grunted.

"I don't blame you for not believing my story." Lila sighed. "But I want you to understand. I have felt all those feelings you feel now. I would like to listen. Just give me a chance."

"How do I know you will?"

"You just have to trust me." Lila responded.

"No." Bobby shook his head. "I can't."

"Why?" Lila asked.

"You wouldn't listen to me, Lila! No one would!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Bobby, what makes you so sure I wouldn't listen?" Lila argued. "I can tell! You want to tell! What're you afraid of?"

"Just leave me alone!" Bobby turned his back.

"Fine!" Lila grunted, getting up. "It's obvious. You want to be a miserable jerk the rest of your life? Fine!" She started to leave.

"…Wait." Bobby called. "…Lila…Don't…don't leave." She turned around. "I'm so alone in here." Lila walked back to the cell. Bobby turned to look at her. "…You really want to know my story?" Lila nodded.

"Believe me, Bobby. I'll listen." Lila reassured. Bobby sighed.

"…Alright." Bobby sat up. Well, he sat up the best he could, being in a straitjacket and all. "As you know, before I joined Freedom Force…I used to be an X-Man." The ice-maker sighed. "I was never the most graceful X-Man, nor was I the smartest X-Man. I never was the best academically."

"Books bored you, huh?" Lila smiled. "Same here." Bobby nodded.

"Yeah." Bobby agreed. "Anyway, there was one talent where I shined. Pranks."

"Pranks?" Lila raised an eyebrow. "I never imagined you to be a prankster."

"You didn't meet me back then." Bobby nodded. "Anyway, I gained a bit of a reputation as…well…a goofball." Bobby sighed. "I was the class clown. The one who made the jokes. It was how I dealt with my problems. I for a long time was mad at my parents for dumping me in the Institute because of my powers, but I got over that." Bobby looked up. "I liked being in the X-Men. I had some good friends, although my pranks got me into trouble a lot." Bobby smiled.

"I thought you hated them." Lila blinked.

"Not really." Bobby admitted with a frown. "I, to be honest, enjoyed the X-Men…until…" He frowned darkly. "Elizabeth Guthrie joined. I had the biggest crush on her."

"She didn't feel the same way?" Lila deduced.

"I never told her." Bobby sighed. "You ever saw Elizabeth? She has the whole Hell's Angels look. The whole talk-to-me-and-I-gut-you-like-a-fish deal."

"You were scared of her." Lila deduced.

"Considering she wanted to kill her brother, Mr. Nice Guy Redneck Sam Guthrie, yeah." Bobby nodded. "Anyway, to make a long story short, she met Lucas Xavier."

"Legion."

"Yup." Bobby nodded. "Anyway, she and him found a connection, and she left the X-Men to join Nightshift." Bobby sighed. "I next met her during Nightshift's confrontation with the Hellfire Club. **(2)** That was when I discovered she…" He sobbed. "It wasn't fair. I loved her. What did she see in Lucas? I lost it." Tears came down Bobby's eyes. "I lost my temper. I lashed out. I froze the ground under Elizabeth, and it…it…it caused her to fall off the cliff. She made it miraculously, but…" Bobby put his knees to his sobbing face. "I had no idea. I had no clue. No clue…" He whimpered.

"No idea what?" Lila asked gently.

"She…" Bobby whimpered regretfully. "She was…she was pregnant. With Lucas's child. The fall caused her to miscarry. I murdered her child. It was my fault. My fault…"

"It wasn't your fault." Lila reassured. "You didn't know."

"When she was recovering at the Institute, her brother, my best friend…" Bobby sobbed. "He threatened to practically kill me. And Lucas nearly tried to kill me. He wouldn't listen to my side of the story. None of them would…" Bobby sniffled. "I snapped. All I could think about was…I hated them. How dare they? After all that…it wasn't my fault…what right did they have…what right…" Bobby started crying. "Lila, what have I done?" Bobby started crying, releasing tears he had held back for a very long time. Lila looked at Bobby sadly. Tears in her eyes, she put her hand on the cell door.

**_Next: Alliances_** _When Virus attacks Bayville, Freedom Force is forced to make an alliance with a certain team of teenagers led by a certain telepath with a multiple-personality disorder._


	44. Alliances

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Which is why they focused on you and your yellow sheet." – Det. Ed Green, Law and Order**

**Author's Note: Sorry about the long delay, folks. My laptop got busted, and I had to get a new one. It took me a while, but I managed to get me a brand-spanking new laptop computer.**

Chapter 44: Alliances

**Freedom Force Headquarters, Los Angeles**

Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter and Freedom Force member codenamed Starway, walked into Freedom Force Headquarters. She wiped a tear from her eye as she walked into the living room.

"About time you showed up!" Terrell Mason, the Compton-born speedster and aerokinetic codenamed Velocity zipped up to her. He was in costume. "Where have you been?" Lila sniffed.

"Just…" Lila sighed. "I just went to visit Bobby in Stokes."

"Oh." Terrell nodded. "I see. Had to visit, huh?" He noticed Lila was rather downcast. "You alright, girl?"

"Yeah." Lila nodded, wiping her eye.

"Bobby didn't do anything, did he?" Terrell asked. Lila shook her head at his question.

"No. No, he didn't." Lila sniffed. "Let's just say…I had to go to some rough parts of my past." Terrell nodded.

"I see."

"Yeah." Lila sighed. "I just had to be there for him. Just to show that he wasn't as alone as he believed."

"If you say so." Terrell shrugged. Lila then noticed something.

"Terrell, you're in costume." Lila noted.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." The African-American speedster snickered. His face then turned serious. "You'd better get into costume, too."

"Why, what happened?" Lila wondered.

"Well, we heard the Virus was in Bayville. Something weird is going on down there. And big." Terrell explained. "Come on!"

"Wait a minute." Lila stopped the speedster. "Bayville. Isn't that the X-Men's territory?"

"Yeah, but thanks to the Iceman, they aren't exactly in top fighting condition. We gotta go down to Bayville and try to hold the fort. But Karma is trying to get some help in taking him down."

"Who?" Lila blinked.

**Dark Hollow**

Knocking was heard from the front door of the home of Elizabeth Guthrie and Lucas Haller-Xavier.

"Alright, alright! Keep your pants on!" Elizabeth called out as she went to the door. "Alex, did you bother Lorna again…" Elizabeth opened the door, revealing Shan Coy, the Vietnamese mind-controller code-named Karma, standing there in costume. "Oh…Do we know you?"

"Elizabeth…" Lucas called. "What's going on here?" He walked up to the door. "Is it that blasted…Oh…" The telepath narrowed his eyes. "I recognize ye. You're in that group of mutants that attacked Bobby in the mall."

"Freedom Force." Karma explained. "I came simply to talk."

**Some time later**

Shan, Elizabeth, and Lucas all sat at a table.

"What do ye want, Miss…" Lucas scowled, crossing his arms.

"Karma. Call me Karma." Shan answered. "And there's a big problem in Bayville."

"What happened?" Elizabeth inquired.

"What _didn't_ happen?" Lucas snorted. "That psychotic self-centered jerk Drake tried to kill us, and now we got you here…Karma."

"Yes." Shan nodded. "I lead Freedom Force. A team of young mutants trained by S.H.I.E.L.D. to handle superhuman crises."

"Ah, I see." Lucas smirked. "Ye work for the government. I bet they keep ye on a rather…short leash."

"Lucas!" Lizzie hissed.

"It's alright." Karma waved. "I'm not offended."

"Are ye here to recruit? Or are ye here tae possibly take us in?" Lucas scowled. "Because let me explain to ye something. Nightshift is not a group of mutants interested in playing 'superheroes'. Nor are we a bunch of criminals."

"_Lucas!_" Lizzie hissed louder. She turned to Shan. "Ah'm sorry about that. You see, Nightshift is just a bunch of mutants who just want to live quietly."

"I understand that." Karma sighed. "But…we do need your help."

"Why?" Lucas wondered. He quickly scanned Karma's mind, and he was able to tell she wasn't lying. It allowed him to relax a little, but he was still suspicious. After all, Lucas did know of S.H.I.E.L.D., thanks to his mentally scanning members of the X-Men during Nightshift's brawl with the X-Men and the Hellfire Club. **(1)**

"Well…I have to ask you." Karma leaned forward. "Have any of you heard of Virus?"

"Virus?" Lizzie blinked.

"English mutant." Shan explained. "Real name Vincent James, little, if anything, known about his past. He has the power to interface with electronics. He also has a mutant talent for invention, like the X-Man called Forge."

"Sounds like a real winner." Elizabeth crossed her arms.

"You wish." Shan shook her head. "He also happens to be an insane terrorist. He believes that he is a messiah. He thinks that machines once ruled the earth."

"_Machines?_" Lucas's face showed astonishment and slight disbelief. Shan nodded.

"Yes." Shan explained. "Virus believes that machines are on the verge of revolt. Machines want to rise up from the oppression of organic life and re-take the earth."

"Sounds like that Virus guy watched one too many of those strange Japanese cartoons as a kid." Lizzie shook her head.

"Probably." Shan nodded. "Some suggested that his mental state is partially a side-effect of his powers. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. Virus is initiating a master plan as we speak that could affect the entire world. Virus stole two important machines, and with them, combined with his powers…he plans to remake the world in his image. And he can, too."

"I'm sure ye can deal with him." Lucas grunted. "Or maybe ye can ask the X-Men. They specialize in that kind of stuff."

"We can't." Shan shook her head. "Bobby Drake…the Iceman…he attacked them. They're too injured to help." Lizzie's face dropped. Shan noticed this, and her face formed a sympathetic expression. "Are you alright, Miss…"

"…Guthrie. Elizabeth Guthrie. Call me Lizzie." Lizzie sighed sadly. She looked at Shan. "Is Bobby alright?"

"I cannae believe this!" Lucas grumbled. "That lunatic tried tae kill us, Lizzie! He's a monster!"

"It wasn't his fault, Lucas." Lizzie countered. "How is he, Karma? Do you know where he is now?" Karma sighed.

"Yeah. I do." Shan answered. "He's locked up in the mental ward at Stokes."

"The nuthouse is the _least_ he deserves." Lucas scowled. "If I had my way…"

"Stop it, Lucas!" Lizzie snapped. "Ah feel bad enough about this whole Bobby situation without you acting like that!"

"Lizzie, ye didn't do anything." Lucas groaned. "It's Bobby's fault. Him and him alone. _He_ was the one who went mad, _he_ was the one who tried to slaughter us, and _he…_"

"And _we_ were the ones who caused it!" Lizzie argued back. "Ah broke his heart, you attacked him, and that's how this whole business started!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Shan quickly put her hands up. "Look, I know this is a tough time for you two. Lizzie, you aren't the only one who failed the Iceman. I did, too."

"What do ye mean?" Lucas scowled. "Unless…" He put two and two together. "He was one of ye, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. He was." Shan admitted. "As the leader of Freedom Force, I tried to help Bobby out. However…" She drooped her head. "I wasn't able to."

"No kidding." Lucas grumbled. "Ye let that psychopath run around free. No wonder he…"

"Lucas, stop." Lizzie commanded. "Ah'm sorry. You have to forgive Lucas. He was some trust issues. Look Karma, if you guys need our help, we'll give it to you. AH'm sure our powers can help bring down this Virus guy."

"I dunno…" Lucas shook his head. "Karma, ye're telling the truth, and you're being honest, but I'm nae sure I trust ye're judgment. After all, ye allowed that madman Drake in your ranks."

"Ah want to help them, Lucas. We should." Lizzie told her telepathic boyfriend.

"We're nae superheroes, Lizzie." Lucas reminded. "And besides, what makes ye think that Freedom Force won't get us killed? They nearly did once by letting Bobby into the ranks."

"We found him wandering around in Canada. What were we supposed to do?" Karma sighed. "Look, I know you don't like us. Believe me, I wouldn't ask for Nightshift's help if I didn't think we needed it."

"I do." Lucas nodded. "I am a telepath, ye know. I can sense if ye're lying…and ye've been telling the truth all along. What I'd like to know is what were ye thinking, allowing Drake into your team?"

"He seemed to have nowhere else to go." Shan explained.

"Ye should've left him there to rot!" Lucas snapped.

"That's cruel, Lucas!" Lizzie snapped back. "Lucas, these Freedom Force guys…they need our help. Maybe we should this one time."

"Why should we?" Lucas scowled.

"Because Virus is a very dangerous mutant." Shan answered, slightly raising her voice. "He's right now in Bayville. He is now using his talents to start to remake the world in his image, and he's not going to care if you are one of the good guys or the bad guys. He'll kill you anyway, simply for not being a machine. I got Freedom Force out there trying to stop him, but it's not enough. And the X-Men can't help." Lucas sighed.

"Look, Karma…" Lucas tried to calm down.

"We'll do it." Lizzie interrupted. She turned to a shocked Lucas. "We'll help. Ah want to help, Lucas. Listen, if this Virus guy is as dangerous as Karma says, we can't just sit back and do nothing!"

"Lizzie…" Lucas started.

"Lucas, please. If we help out, then maybe we will be given a chance to live in peace. We won't have to worry about being the object of suspicion. And besides…" Lizzie drooped her head. "Ah want to make up for what Ah did to Bobby. Ah've felt really bad about it."

"Ye didn't do anything, Lizzie." Lucas groaned.

"Exactly. Ah did nothing." Lizzie sighed and got up. "Ah didn't even give Bobby the decency of a let-down that respected his feelings. Ah had to act like the big ol' 'bad girl' of the Guthrie family, and look what happened as a result." She left the room. Karma went after her.

"You know, you can go and visit Bobby in Stokes. Maybe make your peace with him." Karma offered. Lizzie shook her head.

"Ah don't think that'd be wise right now." Lizzie shook her head. "Ah'm probably the last person on Earth he wants to see right now." She looked at Shan. "But maybe sometime, Ah'll see." She went back to her seat, Shan taking her own. "Lucas, you know she isn't lying. Ah want to help. Besides, it's only one time."

"Yeah." Shan nodded in agreement. "Just one time, and you never see us for a favor again." Lucas thought it over.

"Ye've been straight with me so far, so I have no reason tae think ye're lying tae me now." Lucas looked at Shan firmly. "Fine. We help ye. But just this one time. That is it." Shan smiled, showing her satisfaction.

"No complaints here." Shan agreed.

"I'll go gather the others." Lucas got up and left. "God, they're gonna think I've gone bloody mad…" Lizzie watched Lucas leave, and then turned to Shan.

"Ah'm sorry about Lucas. He's really a good guy." Lizzie apologized. "He's had it rough."

"He's not the only one who's had a difficult life." Karma reassured. Lizzie nodded.

"Is…is the Iceman alright?" Lizzie asked.

"He's being treated well." Karma replied. Lizzie sighed.

"God…Ah had no idea he felt that way about me." The blonde Southerner sighed. "Ah do feel like it's mah fault he's in a nuthouse."

"There was nothing you could've done to help Bobby, Amazon." Shan reassured. "Freedom Force tried. We weren't ready for someone like him."

**Stokes Maximum Security Facility**

Bobby Drake sat in his cell, looking down at the floor. Lila had just left after her visit. He had grown a lot quieter. He appeared to be very deep in thought.

_No surprise. All alone again._ Bobby mentally muttered to himself. _No surprise._ He sighed. _I guess this is my destiny now. Might as well get used to this. I got nothing left in my life. I guess that's all there is for me._ Bobby let a small quiet sigh escape his lips. _It's all over. I got nothing left. The X-Men most likely hate me, Elizabeth hates me, and Freedom Force…I doubt even the Morlocks would want me now. Sure, Lila understands, but she got a second chance. After all I did…I shouldn't get a second chance. I won't be surprised if I didn't. I don't deserve a second chance anyway._ A tear went down the ice-maker's cheek.

**Bayville**

People fled the town as every electronic device in town seemingly went crazy. Fridges started shooting freeze beams at people. Stereos started firing razor-sharp CDs. Cars went wild and started trying to crash into people. And Freedom Force was desperately trying to stop the mad machines from hurting anyone.

"ARGH!" John Proudstar, the Apache powerhouse codenamed Thunderbird, roared as he hefted up a wild car and flipped it over. "Blast it! Where did all this come from?"

"Where do you think?" Ace Starr, the LA-born leonine mutant codenamed Wildstar, rolled his eyes as he blasted several blenders with his blue claw-lasers, and then used a combination of his enhanced strength and glowing claws to slash a laptop to shreds. "Man, this is worse than a boy band concert!"

"Look at the mall!" Gina Tolensky, the Italian-American plant-manipulator codenamed Botanica, pointed at the mall. The Bayville Mall, which was already wrecked by a rampaging Iceman, was being rebuilt and modified. What appeared to be a shining silver liquid erupted from the wrecked mall and covered it. The liquid-covered mall then started to grow and change shape. "Oh mio Dio…"

**_Next: Battle in Bayville_** _As Freedom Force and Nightshift desperately fight to save Bayville from the mad plan of the Virus, Bobby Drake comes to a realization and he makes a big decision._

**(1) – I'm assuming Lucas did this when Nightshift confronted the X-Men and the Hellfire Club during the big three-way fight in "To Err Is Human".**


	45. Battle in Bayville

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Holy schnikeys!"**

Chapter 45: Battle in Bayville

**Bayville**

The city was in chaos. People were fleeing in terror. The city appeared to have gone mad. Cars were trying to run people down. Appliances rampaged in the streets. And the Bayville Mall was being transformed into some kind of castle-like complex by a combination of stolen nanites and an organic steel generator. It was part of a plan by a mad mutant to remake the Earth in his twisted image.

"Ha!" John Proudstar, the powerhouse Apache mutant codenamed Thunderbird, roared as he smashed a blender with his fist, and tore apart a refrigerator with his bare hands.

"Yipe!" Gina Tolensky, the plant-manipulating Italian-American codenamed Botanica, dressed in a green costume with a yellow and gold sash in a vine theme and yellow boots, yelped as she dodged the strike of a flying power saw, and then grabbed a lead pipe and smashed in the saw. She also summoned several vines to block a car that was coming towards her. "These things are crazy! They never stop coming!"

"Tell me about it!" Terrell Mason, the African-American speedster and aerokinetic mutant codenamed Velocity, grumbled. He was using his superhuman speed to dodge the attacks of several power drills. His eyes glowed white, and he summoned a gust to smash the drills into a brick wall. "Can someone please tell me what this is all about?"

"What do you think?" Ace Starr, the LA-born lion-like feral mutant codenamed Wildstar, quipped as he used his feral agility to dodge a car, and then use his claws to slash it open with a feline hiss. "Man, I tell you! This'd make a great TV special!"

"Oh yeah, _When Machines Attack_." Kyle Wildfire, the Boston-born electrokinetic codenamed Thunderbolt, groaned as he blasted several more power saws with lightning bolts. "That'll be _great_. If we make it out of here alive, the Thunderbolt's going to whup you for even _suggesting_ it, Lion-Boy!" He then formed a couple saw blades out of electricity, and threw them with perfect aim into a cement mixer, which was trying to ram him, with explosive results. "That truck went out with a bang, jabroni!" Kyle turned and saw a Ferrari head towards Gina. "Gina! Heads up!" Kyle yelled, pitching a spike made of electricity. Gina turned and rolled out of the way as the spike flew towards her. The spike hit the Ferrari's engine, causing it to explode, stopping the car cold. Gina blinked at the car, and then turned to Kyle, who only blushed and laughed. Gina rolled her eyes and shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"Where's Shan?" Lila Cheney, the interstellar teleporter codenamed Starway, yelled out as she fired her laser crossbow at a rampaging washer and dryer. "She said she'd return with backup! Where's the backup?" She got her answer in the form of a sonic scream flying over her head, and hitting a wild car. Lila looked up, and saw the Irish redheaded Nightshift member Theresa Rourke, also known as Siryn. "Huh?"

"Yuir backup is here!" She explained. The members of Freedom Force looked up and saw Lucas Xavier, the telepathic pyrokinetic Scottish MPD-afflicted mutant called Legion, landing on the ground with help from his telekinesis. Next to him was Xi'an "Shan" Coy Manh, the Vietnamese mind-controller codenamed Karma. He was also flanked by his fellow members of Nightshift.

"It's alright." Elizabeth Guthrie, the size-shifting Kentuckian blonde called Amazon, reassured. "We're here to help."

"Under protest." Lucas grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms.

"Quiet, you!" Lizzie snapped at him in a whisper.

"Figured you guys could use some more muscle." Japheth, the South African mutant called Maggott, grinned, flexing his muscles.

"Man, I thought Nightshift wouldn't have to deal with stuff like this." Alex Summers, the blond-haired plasma generator codenamed Havok, sighed. "But I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised that I got dragged into this superhero stuff." Alex looked up at the sky. "I guess it's because I'm a Summers, right? It's because I'm related to Cyclops, right?"

"Probably." Lorna Dane, the green-haired magnetic-manipulator codenamed Polaris, told Alex with a shrug.

"Thanks, Lorna. That makes me feel so much better." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Personally, I ain't complaining." Kyle Dibney, the feral mutant called Wild Child, smirked. "I kind of like this alliance idea. We get to fight!"

"Well, nice to meet a fellow feral." Ace saluted at Wild Child. The Canadian rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever." Wild Child grunted. Meanwhile, Lucas turned to Shan.

"This had better be bloody worth it." Lucas warned.

**Stokes Maximum Security Facility**

Bobby Drake sat in his cell quietly. He had spent a lot of time in it, thinking.

_Well, here I am…again._ The young ice-maker sighed to himself. _I guess it could be worse. I could be dead…maybe it would've been better if I **was** dead._ Bobby looked up at the ceiling. _After all I had done…I don't even **deserve** to have the people I did in my life. Ace Starr, after all the stuff I did, all the garbage I pulled…he still bothered to visit me. After all that…he still wanted to be my friend. He still wanted to back me up._ Bobby let out another sigh. _I wish I could be like Ace. He is always smiling, always happy…nothing ever gets him down._ Bobby turned his head towards the cell door. _I guess it's far too late for me now. Not like I'll ever get out of here. I don't have anywhere to go…and nobody will take me in. Sure, Ace and Lila understand, but no one else._ He noticed something odd. _Funny…there are a lot of guards running about. Almost like they're preparing for something big to go down._ One guard stopped at his cell. "Hey!" Bobby called at the guard.

"What do you want?" The guard looked at the ice-maker.

"What's going on here?" Bobby asked. "I've seen a lot of guards run by here in the past few moments.

"None of your business, kiddo." The guard groused. He then started to leave, but sighed and walked back to Bobby's cell. _I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell the kid._ "We're beefing up security. Those Freedom Force guys are facing off against that Virus lunatic in Bayville."

_Virus…_ Bobby mentally scowled. _He's one of the **last** names I want to hear._

"Oh yeah." The guard nodded to himself. "They say he's a wild one. I hope those Freedom Force kids catch him. If they are, they'll be real heroes if they do."

"…I used to be a hero." Bobby sighed to himself.

"Hm?" The guard turned his head. "What'd you say, kid?"

"…I used to be a hero." Bobby repeated sadly. "I was once a hero. I used to be in Freedom Force myself."

"Oh, yeah…" The guard remembered. "They say you went nuts on the town."

"I used to be in the X-Men. You may have heard of them on the news." Bobby explained. The guard nodded.

"Oh yeah…those mutants on the TV during that whole Sentinel thing." The guard nodded, remembering the infamous "Day of Reckoning". Bobby grunted.

"Oh yeah. That was a bad time." Bobby sighed. "Anyway, I had left the X-Men a while back due to some…personal problems. Let's just say I grew disillusioned and angry with them. I spent time wandering around the frozen areas of Canada." Bobby looked down. "I spent my time there training my powers…and letting my anger stew." Bobby sighed. "I felt that they had turned on me. I made some mistakes. I… was found and taken in by Freedom Force. They tried to help me." Bobby looked up at the guard. The part of his face that wasn't hidden by his semi-long brown hair was marked by sadness, the uncovered ice blue eye showing loneliness and regret. "They tried to help me let go of my anger. I had friends…Wildstar…Starway…Thunderbolt…they tried to talk to me. They tried to show me that I wasn't alone…I pushed them away. They kept trying to help me…and I just…pushed them away. I…I…snapped." Bobby sighed. "I tried to kill my old X-Men teammates. My old friends…simply because I screwed up…and my best friend unintentionally hurt me." The guard listened intently as Bobby continued. "I tried to kill a guy for an imagined crime…and for making me feel weak and worthless. I tried to kill his girlfriend…A girl I was once in love with…because she broke my heart and didn't realize it…"

"…Wow." The guard interjected. "Looks like you had it rough, kid."

"…Tell me about it." Bobby grumbled. "I'm not even twenty years old and already I feel like an old man…"

"Nah." The guard shrugged. "When you turn twenty-one and have a mid-life crisis, then you'll feel like an old man." Bobby groaned as the guard snickered. "It's a joke, kid. You know, the things that are supposed to make you laugh?" Bobby sighed.

"Sorry…" The ice-maker apologized sadly. "It's just that…I haven't laughed in a long time. I never had any reason to. I got rid of my sense of humor a long time ago. I used to be a joker. I used to be a prankster. I used to love comedy. Nowadays…I don't see what's so funny about anything anymore."

"That's sad, kid." The guard shook his head. "That really is."

"Yeah." Bobby admitted. "It is. I did something so horrible."

"You snapped, kid." The guard countered. "It wasn't your fault. Your mind got messed up."

"Tell that to the X-Men." Bobby sighed.

"Look, kid…" The guard started. "You know, they say that those who want redemption will find it."

"…I don't deserve redemption." Bobby sighed. "Who would forgive _me?_"

"That girl that visited you earlier." The guard suggested. "She wouldn't have come to see you if she didn't think you didn't deserve to have anyone care about you."

"Yeah, Lila's all heart." Bobby agreed. "Why does she do it, though? I pushed her away so many times ,yet she still kept trying to get through to me."

"Maybe she understood you, kid." The guard answered. "Seemed that way to me…Look at it this way, kid. Unlike some of these people, you regret what you did. The only direction you can go from here is up."

"I doubt that'll happen." Bobby sighed. "I doubt I'll be able to get out of this."

"I'm sure you will, kid." The guard reassured. "The first thing you gotta do…is forgive yourself. Once you forgive yourself…you can work to redeem yourself. I gotta go, kid. Think about what I said." The guard walked on to his post, leaving Bobby alone to think.

_Maybe…_ The ice-maker thought to himself. _Maybe…maybe he has a point. But how? How do I do this?_

**_Next: Breakout_** _As Freedom Force and Nightshift fight their way through Bayville, Bobby decides to do something big to redeem himself._


	46. Breakout

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "I'll knock him flatter than a pancake that was run over by a steamroller!"**

Chapter 46: Breakout

**Bayville Mall**

"Hmmm…" Vincent James, the psychotic evil English technology controller codenamed Virus, sat on an ornate metallic throne. The throne was inside a black room. Behind it was a large column of metal, decorated with various controls. Attached to the column, just above the throne, was what appeared to be a large glass globe, with a large blue ball of crackling energy. The Mall was transformed by his technology into his own personal castle, from which he would rule the world. He was observing the battle between his machine soldiers and the combined forces of Freedom Force and Nightshift.

**Downtown Bayville**

"RAH!" Ace Starr and Kyle Dibney, Wildstar and Wildchild, used their claws to tear open a bus, causing it to careen into a wall.

"Heh." Ace smirked at Wild Child. "We make a pretty darn good team, pal."

"Yeah, whatever." Wild Child shrugged. A wild Corvette smashed into a music store. "No, not the music store!"

"Aw, man! I was hoping to get some new strings for my guitar, man!" Ace whined. "That's not cool, man! That's not cool!"

"You play guitar?" Wild Child blinked.

"Oh, yeah." Ace grinned. "I also play saxophone, piano, and harmonica."

"Whoa." Wild Child blinked, showing that he was impressed. "Where'd you find the time to learn all those instruments?"

"Easy." Ace smirked. "I'm a virtuoso, baby. Been playing guitar since I was a little kid."

"Oi!" Lucas Xavier, Legion, snapped at the two as he used his TK to bat away a couple power drills, then using his flames to roast them. "We're nae here to socialize! Dibney, we're not gonna be working with these guys all the time." Wild Child sighed.

"Ah, well…" The Canadian feral grunted. "Let's just get back to work."

"Don't be so hard on them, Legion!" Shan laughed, smashing a vacuum cleaner with her staff. "I know ferals. They like to have fun doing this stuff."

"We're nae friends, Karma." Legion grumbled. "I only agreed tae do this so we won't have to worry about being blasted to bits by something even worse than your pet madman Drake!" The blond telepath scowled as he called upon his fire powers to toast another power drill.

"Everything with a freakin' microchip." John muttered as he swung a lamppost at a Cadillac. "I can't believe I'm fighting a freakin' Cadillac! It's just not fair!" He glanced at the green-haired magnetic manipulator known as Polaris, who was trashing some other mad electronic devices. "And I can't believe we're working with these Nightshift guys." Terrell zipped up to the powerhouse Apache, using his wind powers to blow away a few power saws that were heading towards them.

"Hey, Shan said she'd bring backup, didn't she?" Terrell shrugged. "And besides, I think they know if Virus wins, we're all screwed."

"Keep pushing!" Shan ordered. "We've got to get to the mall! I have a funny feeling that Virus himself is there! Hey, what…" The members of Freedom Force and Nightshift found themselves disappearing in flashes of light. They re-appeared in the throne room, a very large room with very sparse lighting.

"Where…" Legion looked around. "Where are we?"

"We ain't in Kansas anymore, that's for sure." Kyle quipped.

"I smell metal…all over…" Wild Child snarled.

"Me too." Ace agreed.

"Welcome to me new lair. Standing tall on the site of the former Bayville Mall." Virus walked into the light, smirking evilly. However, he looked radically different. He was dressed in a black costume which left his arms and shoulders bare, with electronic green boots and a green "V" design on the chest. He looked different, with his skin and hair looking like they were made of metal.

"Virus…" Shan's jaw dropped.

"He looks different…" Ace gaped.

"I've heard of being into metal, but this is ridiculous!" Alex gulped.

"Like the new look?" Virus smirked. "Thank the nanites and the organic steel generator. I managed to incorporate their technologies into meself, making me stronger, and making me the machine I always knew I was intended to be."

"Now _that_ is a monster, Lucas." Lizzie pointed at Virus. "Look what he's done to himself!"

"It didn't hurt." Virus smirked. "But you all will!" He raised a hand. Before the shocked mutants' eyes, his hand morphed and changed into a futuristic blaster.

**Stokes Maximum Security Facility**

"_Alone again…naturally…_" Bobby Drake half-sighed, half-sang to himself. The young ice-maker looked out at his cell door. But the former X-Man wasn't staring out at the hall. He was staring into space, and he went back to doing what he had done a lot of since he got locked up: thinking. The guard who had talked to him earlier walked back and stood next to the door.

"You alright, kid?" The guard asked.

"Yeah." Bobby nodded. "As alright as I'll ever be, I guess." He looked up. "Is it true?"

"Is what true, kid?"

"Are Freedom Force in Bayville? Taking on Virus?" The young disgraced ice-maker asked. The guard nodded, although Bobby didn't see it.

"Yeah, that's the last I heard." The guard nodded. "The kid's a loon. Can you imagine if that lunatic conquered the world? We'd all be dead." Bobby sighed.

"And I can't be there to help." Bobby sighed. He looked down sadly. "They need me. They need my help, and I can't help them." He started to tear up. "I got myself into this mess, and now my new teammates are in trouble." He looked up. "They're in trouble. And I can't help them." _If I could help them…I can be forgiven. They need my help! They can't take down Virus alone!_ Bobby started shuffling in his straitjacket, quietly trying to break his way out of it, until he noticed a small tear inn the sleeve. Bobby blinked, and then grinned. _Perfect…_ Using the tear, Bobby managed to rip his way out, and then gave his collar a hard yank. "NEARGH!"

"What the-?" The guard turned and saw Bobby rip off his collar. In that instant, the young ice-maker could feel his powers returning to him. In one quick move, he fired an ice beam at the door of his cell, freezing the wall. Going into his ice form, Bobby busted his way out. The guard cocked his weapon.

"I'm sorry." Bobby apologized. He fired an ice beam at the guard, covering him up to his neck in ice. "I know you're just doing your job." He walked up to the guard. "I hope you understand…" He looked at the guard. "I have a job to do, too." The guard looked into Bobby's eyes.

"Kid, I hope you know what you're doing." The guard told Bobby as alarms blared out.

"I'm getting redemption." Bobby answered as he ran off. _First of all, I gotta find my trenchcoat and glasses. I don't really feel like me without them anymore._

**The Bayville Mall**

"Look out!" Kyle yelled as he and Gina dodged an energy blast. Freedom Force and Nightshift were forced into battle with the crazed mutant electronic-controlling mutant Virus.

"AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The now metal-skinned English mutant cackled madly. His arms had morphed into futuristic energy blasters. With a loud VWOMM, the blasters released balls of golden energy. The beams forced the heroic mutants to keep on guard, and rendered them unable to do a whole lot to attack. Not to mention Virus was able to dodge every attack Freedom Force and Nightshift threw at him, including flames from Shiro and Lucas, plasma blasts from Alex, blue lasers from Ace, the claws of Wild Child, electric blasts from Thunderbolt, sonic attacks from Rictor and Theresa, wind attacks from Terrell, and even laser arrows from Lila.

"This is getting stupid!" Alex scowled. "Eat plasma!" The blond Hawaiian-born plasma generator fired a couple beams of plasma energy at the mad mutant. Virus cackled.

"Me friend, obviously you don't know the power of the human mind." A green aura appeared around Virus's body. The plasma blasts hit Virus hard, but they didn't even phase him. "Heh heh heh…"

"You have got to be kidding me…" Lucas snarled.

"That little…" Shan scowled. "Every attack we got, he's got a counter."

"He can't counter _this!_" Lorna grunted, calling upon her magnetic powers, making her eyes glow. "The metal in your body puts you at _my_ mercy!" Lorna smirked. "And I'm not in the mood to give out mercy." She waved her hand, and Virus started to levitate.

"What the-?"

"That's it, Lorna! Show 'em who's boss!" Lizzie whooped encouragingly. Lorna smirked as she used her magnetic powers to send Virus flying all over the room and slamming into walls.

"AIE HEY LET ME GO, YOU BLOODY GRASS-HAIRED PLONKER! YI! OW! UGH!" Virus screamed and howled as he got slammed into walls left and right.

"Hey, this is fun!" Lorna grinned.

"Ever thought about joining Freedom Force?" Ace joked at the green-haired girl.

"…No." Lorna answered, slightly caught off-guard by that. The feral shrugged.

"Just curious."

**_Next: Path of Ice_** _As Freedom Force and Nightshift battle Virus, Bobby Drake makes his way to Bayville, intent on finding redemption._


	47. Path of Ice

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Okay, one of the rules of being President is that you have to be born in the United States. Well, I was born in an English hospital, but Dad is in the Air Force. Am I still eligible?" – Me wondering if I could be President**

Chapter 47: Path of Ice

**Stokes Maximum Security Facility**

From the outside, the facility was quiet. As if nothing ever happened. However, the inside of the facility was ablaze with chaos.

"Ungh!" Bobby Drake, in his watery form, knocked several guards off him. He then fired ice beams to restrain them. He was in no mood to hurt anyone else. He had grown tired of it. He was dressed in his white prison clothes, with his blue trenchcoat over it. His blue sunglasses were resting on his head. He walked up to the huge front door of the facility. Bobby looked it up and down. "Metal. Always metal." Bobby put his hands on the door and started using his powers to freeze the door. Frost started emanating from his hands, covering the door. He then turned his head to the guards. "You see, metal conducts temperature. It conducts heat and cold. If you heat up metals enough, they melt. If you get metal cold enough, like I am, it freezes, and when metal freezes…" He turned into his ice form, and threw a mighty punch at the frozen door. It cracked and shattered like glass. "It becomes as breakable as glass. See you around." He then noticed more guards standing behind the door, their guns pointed at him.

"Alright, weirdo. Put your hands up!" One of the guards called out. Bobby immediately complied, and then his eyes started to glow. "Shoot 'im!" The guards started firing at the ice-maker. However, before he could be hurt, Bobby transformed into his water form. In that state, the bullets just harmlessly went through him.

"Keep trying, fellas." Bobby shook his head sadly. He then fired ice beams at the guards, freezing them up to their necks. "I have to do something very important." He calmly walked away from the facility. "Don't worry, I didn't release any of the other psychos in there." As soon as he got a good distance away, the ice-maker created a slide to get him to his intended destination. His face was blank, but he was deep in thought. _I need to do this. _Bobby thought to himself. _I have to help._

**On the outskirts of Bayville, some time later**

Bobby Drake stood on the outskirts of the town. He looked in the town's direction, but he wasn't really noticing it. He was still deep in thought.

_I used to help people here._ Bobby thought. _I'm probably not welcome here anymore. I'm probably not welcome here ever again. The guard said to me that I should forgive myself for what I had done. But how can I? Now I've done something stupid again. Wait a minute…_ Bobby noticed the mall looked like a castle of some kind. A futuristic metal castle. It was visible even from the distance Bobby was at. _What is that? It looks like something from a sci-fi movie._ It then dawned on him. _That's where the mall was._ His eyes narrowed. _Virus…he did this! If he's there, that means…Freedom Force will be there, too! They're on Virus's turf now! They're going to need help! If I can help them out…I can be forgiven. I can forgive myself. And if I don't make it…_ His head drooped. _So be it. If I have to go, at least I'll go out on a high note._ He created another ice slide and headed towards Bayville.

**Inside Virus's lair**

"AGH!" Thunderbird howled as the metal-skinned Virus nailed him across the jaw with a hard right cross. The Apache mutant was pretty durable thanks to his mutation, but he didn't possess true invulnerability. The blow from the insane English mutant sent him flying into a wall. "Ugh!" John Proudstar hit the wall spine-first, and then slid down to the ground.

"HAAAAAA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Virus cackled. He had engaged in a fierce battle with the combined forces of the government-trained mutants called Freedom Force and the team of hermit-like mutants called Nightshift. It seemed that Nightshift member Lorna "Polaris" Dane had the upper hand thanks to her magnetic powers, but Virus's smarts helped him out again. The nanites within his body figured a way to counteract the magnetic fields that Lorna used to throw him around the walls of the building, rendering her powers useless against him. From there, things got brutal. "You bloody fools! You came here, expecting to fight a madman. But instead, you are facing a god!"

"Ah, god _this!_" Wildstar yelled. "Let's do it, Havok!" The feral and the plasma generator let rip with a blitz of blue lasers and plasma. The lasers and plasma hit Virus hard in the chest, knocking the screaming metal-skinned mutant into a wall.

"Keep it up!" Havok yelled. "Don't stop firing, Ace! Don't stop until he's melted down!" Ace raised an eyebrow.

"Dude, I heard about your brother and his talent for leading. I guess it runs in the family." Ace chuckled, making Havok groan.

"Great! _More_ of the family genes are popping up! Why, God?" Alex whined. Meanwhile, Virus was dealing with a new problem. The insane mutant screamed in pain and rage as he got blasted by sonic attacks from both Siryn and Rictor.

"We got him on the run!" Rictor whooped. Virus snarled.

"Not…argh…yet…you…bloody…organics…." The insane mutant snarled. His metallic arms came to life, growing and changing shape until they formed two halves of a big metal shield. With a scream of effort, he managed to put his arms tighter, putting together the two halves of the shield. He then stretched his arms forward at great speed, causing the shield to slam into Alex and Ace, and then to scrunch them up against the opposing wall. Virus's eyes glowed green, and the pained mutant blasted Rictor and Siryn with electronic green energy beams. "Heh." Virus smirked. "I told you all. You cannot beat me. Here…I…_am_…**_a_**…**_GOD!_**"

"You're nae a god, Virus!" Lucas Xavier snarled at the mad mutant. "Ye're just an insane little boy with delusions of grandeur!" His eyes started to glow. "Well, we'll put a stop to that, shall we?" He fired a bolt of mental energy at Virus, making the Brit scream in pain. He put his hands to his head and fell to his knees. "Heh. Ye may think ye're a machine now, but ye're still human, pal. Ye're still vulnerable to me telepathy." Lucas's face formed a mirthful smirk. "And as an Englishman, I'm sure ye know how Scotsmen like meself feel about ye." Virus snarled.

"You…Scots…were…always…BLOODY PLONKERS!" Virus screamed. His eyes erupted in a bright flash of green light, causing Lucas to scream in pain and cover his eyes.

"Me eyes!" Lucas howled. His concentration lapsed, and his mental attack on Virus ceased.

"Heh. Stupid Scot." Virus smirked. "Did you really believe you could beat an Englishman?"

"Maybe _he_ can't, but _I_ sure can!" Velocity used his wind powers and speed to entrap Virus in a tornado. Kyle and Shiro immediately stepped in, firing plasma flame and lighting into it.

"Everyone with projectile powers! Fire into the tornado!" Shiro ordered sharply. The mutants complied. Alex fired plasma, Ace provided lasers, and Rictor and Theresa added sonics. The attacks all hit the tornado in concert, making Virus howl in pain.

"We got 'im!" Karma hooted in delight. "We got 'im!" Virus's eyes glowed as he screamed from within the tornado. The glow could be visible through it.

"Uh oh…" John winced. "This can't be good."

"In the movies I've seen, whenever the bad guy's eyes glow like that, that only means one thing…" Maggott winced.

**Downtown Bayville**

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Bobby Drake snapped as the young mutant fired an ice beam at a rampaging Ferrari. The brown-haired ice-maker then turned into his ice form and smashed his fist through the car's frozen hood, stopping it cold. He then commanded the water in a nearby broken water main to drench the street, sweeping away the crazed electronic devices. "Arrogant little…" The ice-maker scowled. He then heard a noise.

"Heeeeeeelp!" Bobby whipped his head around and heard a woman screaming. She was cowering against a brick wall in an alley. A power drill was bearing on her. A sneer painted the ice-maker's face. Before the woman knew it, she saw a flash of blue light, and an icicle impaled the power drill. The drill fell to the ground, now as harmless as a bread crumb. The woman noticed Bobby standing at the end of the hallway. Without a word, the ice-maker moved to the side.

"Get out of here." He told the woman in an even voice. The woman nodded gratefully.

"Thank you!" She gave Bobby a hug, which the ice-maker accepted, but didn't return.

"Just stay alive. That's all the thanks I need." Bobby answered. The woman ran away, her path cleared by Bobby earlier during his brawl across Bayville with Virus's electrical appliance brigade. Bobby noticed the castle. The young mutant narrowed his blue eyes behind his blue sunglasses.

_Virus…_ He thought. _Only Virus could create something like that. If he's there, then my friends cannot be far behind. And knowing Virus…he'll be ready for all of them. But I doubt he'll be ready for me. With me there, Freedom Force can win. They can beat him. I'm coming, you guys._ Bobby created an ice slide, and used it to slide towards the castle that was once the Bayville Mall. However, there was a complication. Suddenly, futuristic turrets and missile launchers seemingly grew out of the walls of the castle and started firing at the ice-maker. "Nice try, you psychotic!" The Iceman went on the attack. "CHILL OUT!" Bobby started firing ice beams at the turrets and missile launchers, and creating ice shields to protect himself while attacking.

**Inside the mall**

"ARGH!" The members of Freedom Force and Nightshift screamed as missiles sent them flying, scattering, and knocking them down to the ground.

"HA!" Virus laughed. "You bloody fools! You have no trick that I can't counter! Me divine mission shall be undertaken! I can adapt to anything in the blink of an eye, whereas you organics require millions of years! Face it, mates…you've all lost." Virus picked up a moaning Lila. "Now all there is to do is to remove the refuse." His arm formed a small cannon, and he put it to Lila's head. "I doubt anyone will miss this organic." The mutants then all noticed something. "Did it just get cold in here?" The mad mutant turned around and noticed that a wall started to freeze.

"Aw, no…" Lucas moaned weakly.

"Hoo boy…" A downed Terrell groaned.

"Huh?" Virus looked up. A part of the frozen wall suddenly exploded out, and a figure stepped through the hole, eyes glowing an intense blue, and holding a mangled cannon barrel. The figure pointed the barrel at the insane Virus.

"Put. Her. Down. **_Now._**" The figure demanded.

"Oh, God…" Elizabeth mumbled, looking at the figure.

…Bobby Drake had arrived. And he was not happy.

**_Next: Sapphire Redemption_** _This is it! Bobby versus Virus. One has everything to gain, and the other has nothing to lose. How will this battle end?_


	48. Sapphire Redemption

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "Sweetie…our house…"**

Chapter 48: Sapphire Redemption

**Virus's Lair**

"Aw, great…" Lucas Xavier grunted as he saw Bobby Drake. "I thought ye were still in the madhouse." The rest of Freedom Force and Nightshift slowly got to their feet. Virus was still, excepting for his releasing Lila. The mad mutant was in shock. Where the heck did Bobby Drake come from?

"Oh, no…" Alex Summers growled.

"Great." John Proudstar grumbled. "Already bad enough that we gotta deal with Virus here…now we gotta fight Bobby again."

"I'm not here to fight you, Thunderbird." Bobby shook his head solemnly.

"Then why are ye here?" Lucas snapped at the mentally-scarred young ice-maker. "Ye come here to watch Virus take us on? How do we know that ye're not here tae-" Lucas didn't get to finish that sentence. Bobby narrowed his eyes at the telepathic pyrokinetic. He swiped his hand, and a bolt of blue energy hit Lucas in the mouth, freezing his lips together. The Scottish mutant fumed indignantly.

"I'm not here to fight you either, Legion." Bobby answered.

"Bobby…" Elizabeth whispered. Bobby looked at the blonde sadly.

"I'm here to redeem myself." The ice-maker explained. "I'm here to help. The stuff I've done is nothing compared to what this creature has planned." He transformed into his ice form and glared at Virus. "Unlike him, I can regret. I regret what I've done." He looked at the assembled Freedom Force and Nightshift. "Leave this place. Let me take him on alone."

"Bobby, you can't!" Lila exclaimed. "It's suicide!"

"Aw, let the little ice cube try, me dear." Virus laughed. "I'm not afraid of him." Lorna looked at the Iceman, and then scowled at the electronics controller.

"You will be, Virus." She scowled. "You **_will_** be."

"You all believe that he wants to _help?_" Alex exclaimed. "Don't you all remember what he pulled not too long ago?" Shan Coy smirked.

_That distrust runs in the family, too._ She mentally chuckled. _Just like her brother Logan told me about._

"I don't expect you all to forgive me." Bobby answered, not even looking at the plasma generator. "I came here because I want to be able to forgive myself." Lucas fumed.

"Lucas, don't." Lizzie put a hand on his shoulder, holding him back. "Ah believe him."

"So do I." Karma nodded. "If he's here to help, then let him help."

"If you got here, then that means…you busted out of Stokes." Ace deduced.

"Great. The psycho busts out." John scowled. Bobby dropped his head shamefully.

"…Because I wanted to help." Bobby sighed. "You guys would need me."

"Heh." Virus laughed. "Touching. You nearly made me shed a bloody tear. You see, I know about you, thanks to me hacking Stokes's records. Do you really think you stopping me will earn you redemption?" Virus smirked at the ice-maker. "I know about you, and what you have done. And your breaking out only made your situation worse. And you call **_me_** a monster." Virus laughed at the Iceman. "You think you can beat _me_ on your own? Heh. Your friends here couldn't do it. Face it, mate. You do this, you'll only die. Is that what you want?" Bobby narrowed his eyes.

"…I don't know. But at least I know what I did was wrong!" He blasted Virus with an ice beam, sending him flying across the room. "Everyone get out of here! Let me deal with him!" He created some blizzard winds, which levitated the members of the two mutant teams. "If I don't stop him, the world will need all of you to take him down!"

"Bobby…" Lila started. The icemaker looked at the interstellar teleporter sadly.

"I'm sorry, Lila." Bobby apologized. "I hope you understand." She bowed her head.

"…Bobby, I…"

"Just let me do this, Lila." Bobby begged. "I need to do this."

"What? Get yourself killed?" Lila exclaimed.

"At least you'll be safe." Bobby answered. "Ace!" He called up at his feral friend. "Take care of her." Ace nodded. He used the blizzard winds to help them out.

"Please make it through, Bobby." Elizabeth told the ice-maker. "No matter what, just know this. Ah forgave you for everything." Bobby let out a small smile and sent her out. "Make sure Virus doesn't pull any tricks outside! I got him in here!"

"May the Great Spirit watch over you, Drake!" John waved. Bobby nodded.

"In case we do not see each other again…" Shiro took off his mask and looked at Bobby. "May you find the peace you have been searching so desperately for." He then sealed the hole with a very thick wall of ice. Virus broke out of the ice that held him to the wall.

"You're a bigger fool than I thought, Iceboy." Virus smirked. Bobby scowled.

"You won't hurt anyone anymore, Vincent James." The ice-maker snarled. "You're dealing with the Iceman now." A blizzard started to form in the room.

**Outside**

"HOW COULD YOU?" Lila Cheney, clearly hysterical, screamed at Shan. "YOU'VE DOOMED HIM! YOU'RE LETTING HIM COMMIT SUICIDE IN THERE!" She was being held back by John, Terrell, and Ace.

"Lila, calm down!" John exclaimed.

"HOW CAN I?" Lila screamed. "HE'S IN THERE ALONE WITH THAT MANIAC!"

"He knows what he is doing." Shiro explained calmly.

"If he doesn't make it, we'll still be here to take him on!" Shan told the interstellar teleporter in an attempt to calm her down. "Lila, you have to calm down and listen to me!" She grabbed the dark-haired girl by the shoulders. "Bobby didn't want us to get hurt. What he needs from us now is hope. Just keep thinking positive, Lila." Lila started to calm down.

"It's not fair." Lila shook her head. "Why is he doing this? This is suicide!" She looked at the three boys holding her back. "I'm alright. I'm good. I'm good. You can let me go now." They very carefully let her go.

"Lila…" Ace sighed. "I don't like it either. But I'm sure Bobby did it for a reason."

"…He did it for redemption." Gina answered. "He did it to redeem himself." Lila sighed.

"But does he think he can do it this way?" Lila sighed. "And does he really think h can take on Virus by himself?"

"If that guy can smack around the X-Men by himself, the Thunderbolt thinks he can handle the little psychotic Brit up there." Kyle rolled his eyes.

"Yech!" Lucas snapped as he finally got the ice off his face. "Ye know what I think? I think he did it just to show off! I hope they end up destroying each other! That way the world will have two less psychos tae deal with!" Lila glared at the telepath.

"Why you-!" Lila made a move to punch him out, causing John, Terrell, and Ace to jump back into restraining mode. "Come back here and say that to my face, you cold-hearted jerk! You wouldn't be saying that if she was in there!" Lila turned her head to Liz.

"She's right, Lucas!" Lizzie agreed. "Bobby's fighting Virus in there alone."

"For what?" Lucas sneered. "Tae prove he's 'better'? Tae prove he's worthy of ye?"

"He said it himself, Lucas: For redemption." Lizzie answered. She looked at the castle. "Ah hope he does make it, Lucas. And Ah hope he finds some form of peace. You know why? Because unlike you, Ah understand, and Ah know how Ah unintentionally helped cause Bobby to end up in the situation he was in." She sighed. "God, Ah hope he makes it…"

"Man, jabroni…" Kyle shook his head and looked at the castle. "This has got to be the craziest thing the Thunderbolt has ever gotten himself involved in."

"Man, I really can't stand this melodrama garbage." Wild Child groaned.

"You and me both, brother." Maggott agreed. "You and me both."

**Inside Virus's lair**

"RAAAAAARGH!" Virus roared in frustration. The metal-skinned nanite-dosed teenage madman fired his arm cannons all over in frustration. "HOLD STILL, YOU BLOODY SON OF A-!" Explosions rocked the room. However, he wasn't able to blast the young mutant called Iceman.

"Why don't you make me hold still?" Bobby jeered. He was in his watery form. In that state, Virus's weapons were easier to dodge. The blizzard also made life difficult for the English mutant. Bobby dodged another energy blast by sliding under it. "Heh. What's the matter, Virus? You snow-blind or something?" He formed a fist made of ice. "I _seeeeeee_ yooooou…" Bobby taunted. He threw the fist, nailing Virus across the jaw, the fist shattering.

"AUGH!" Virus screamed. The punch didn't really hurt him, as it was ice hitting metal, but it was able to knock him back a bit. "Grrr…how is he doing this?"

_Heh._ Bobby mentally smirked. _Good thing my mutation allows me to be able to see in the infra-red range. **(1)** That idiot doesn't quite realize that unlike the others, my powers can be used in so many ways._ Bobby pitched several razor-sharp discs made of ice. Virus barely managed to dodge them. The discs hit a power line, causing it to fall from the ground, sparks flying from the wire. Virus noticed the wire and grinned. "What're you grinning at, Virus? Met the microchip of your dreams?" He stopped the blizzard, and turned into his watery form. "You'd only be able to get a microchip. I doubt you could even **build** yourself a girlfriend."

"I'm not licked yet!" Virus smirked, racing towards the downed live power line. He managed to grab it. "Heh." The arrogant mutant smirked. "Time for you to fry!" With a cry, he charged towards Bobby, holding the wire like a lance. The ice-maker groaned.

"Do you clowns _always_ have to be so melodramatic?" Bobby sighed. Just before the sparking wire could touch Bobby's body, the ice-maker dodged the wire by flattening into a puddle. Virus ran over him, but it didn't harm the ice-maker. When he gained enough distance, watery tentacles erupted from the puddle, wrapping around the wire. He gave a tug.

"Wha-?" Virus blinked.

"You're not the only one who is vulnerable to electricity!" Bobby scowled. "Come 'ere!" the tentacles thrust the wire upwards, throwing Virus off. "Just because you got stell skin doesn't mean you are indestructible!"

"Ha!" Virus laughed. "I know what you're trying to do! Me metal body was able to withstand the charge of the Thunderbolt!" Bobby reformed into his normal shape, clutching the wire under his arm.

"True…" Bobby smirked. "But Ol' Kyle didn't have me backing him up. You see, it's simple science. The reason why I am so vulnerable to electricity in water form is simply because…" Bobby fired a jet of water at Virus. It caught the surprised mutant off-guard, knocking him into a wall. "WATER **CONDUCTS** ELECTRICITY!" He stuck the wire into the jet. With a loud buzz, electrical current raced along the jet. The water, combined with the metal in Virus's skin, made the mad mutant super-vulnerable to electricity. The mutant howled in pain as electricity coursed through him.

"NYEARRRRRRRRRRRGH!" Virus roared in pain. Bobby diverted the jet away. Virus was left a shuddering husk, forced back into his human form. His clothes were tattered, he was burned in some places, blood came from his eyes, ears, and mouth, and electricity still ran up and down his body. "Nn…uh…mm…" He started whimpering. The ice-maker scowled.

"Look at you. The mighty Virus." Bobby scowled. "Reduced to nothing but a whimpering pathetic pile of nothing. And you want to rule the world and remake it in your image." The ice-maker snorted. "You couldn't rule an anthill." Virus looked up.

"I'm…n-n-not dead…y-y-yet…" Virus scowled, or at least tried to. "You…c-c-can't…k-k-kill a god…"

"Even the reigns of gods have to end some time." Bobby growled. He used a wave to throw Virus into the power core in the room. He then threw a couple ice blasts, pinning Virus to a wall. "But I'm going to make sure yours never begins." He walked towards Virus, forming a long spike made of ice. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was trying to do.

"You fool…" Virus snarled. "You do what I think you plan to do…you'll destroy this entire complex!"

"Good." Bobby nodded. Virus chuckled weakly.

"Th-th-they say you-you-you're a monster. Heh." The English mutant smirked, as his body started to repair itself. "C-can't blame them. Y-you think th-th-they'll forgive you…heh. Th-th-they never w-w-will." Bobby's scowl deepened. "Heh heh heh. You're g-g-gonna _burn_, Iceboy."

"At least I'll be taking a _real_ monster with me!" Bobby yelled. With a cry, Bobby reared his arm back, and then plunged the spike right into Virus's heart, making him scream. The console exploded, engulfing Bobby and Virus.

**Outside**

"We gotta get back inside!" Lila exclaimed.

"And how in the name of God are we supposed to get back inside?" Lorna pointed out. "We have no idea where the front door is! We were teleported in!"

"Hey, you guys hear that rumbling?" Ace wondered.

"Yeah, I hear it." Wild Child nodded. The two ferals' stronger senses were able to pick up the noise first. Eventually, it increased in volume so the others could hear it.

"It sounds like an earthquake!" Siryn noted.

"Don't look at me!" Rictor held up his hands. "I'm not doing anything."

"It's coming from the castle!" Lizzie realized. The mutants looked up at the castle. Several explosions erupted from the castle like blooming flowers on a vine.

"Oh, man…" Lucas's eyes widened.

"Oh, mio Dio…" Gina mumbled.

"No…" Lila whispered in horror. The castle then went up in a huge explosion, the shockwave causing the members of Freedom Force and Nightshift to fall to the ground. "No! BOBBY!" Lila screamed. "Did anyone see him escape?"

"…I don't think he could have escaped it." Shiro answered solemnly. The mutants got back to their feet, and looked at the smoking wreckage.

"_Nobody_ could've survived that!" Ace gasped.

"Oh my God…Oh my God…" Lila fell to her knees. Elizabeth looked at her. The blonde went over to her.

"Are you alright?" She asked. Lila just stared at the wreckage.

"At least he went out with a bang." Kyle whistled, showing he was impressed.

"Kyle!" Terrell admonished. "That's not cool, man!"

"Just sayin'!" Kyle protested. Ace looked at the wreckage.

"You went out a hero, buddy." The leonine feral mumbled. "You proved yourself."

"Why?" Lila mumbled, a tear coming down her cheek. "Why? Why? Why?" She broke down and started to cry. "Why'd he do it? Why?" Lizzie sighed.

"Ah guess he just wanted to show he could still be a hero." Lizzie sighed. "She looked at the wreckage.

"Look at it this way, Lila." Shiro told the dark-haired girl in an attempt to reassure her. "Bobby may have finally found the peace that he was looking for after all this time." Lila whimpered. Lucas groaned.

"Come on, Nightshift. Let's get out of here." He said. "The job's done. Both those psychos got what they deserved."

"Lucas, Bobby gave his life to stop the Virus!" Lizzie snapped. "He gave his life to redeem himself! The least you can do is just admit that Bobby saved your life!" Lucas grunted, and started to leave.

"Hey, look!" Ace pointed out. "The wreckage! Something is happening!" The mutants ran closer to the wreckage. They noticed that water appeared to be dripping from the wreckage.

"Is that…" Lila blinked. The drops of water that fell to the ground started to move closer and closer together.

"Ho-lee…" Kyle gasped.

"B-bobby?" Lila stammered. The water formed a large puddle, and a figure started to from it. A human figure. The figure grunted and yelled in effort as it slowly started to freeze into ice, and from there, change into the human form of Bobby Drake, clad in the makeshift costume he had. "_Bobby?_"

"Bloody…" Lucas blinked. "He's like a cockroach." Bobby had no expression on his face. He took a couple steps forward…and started to collapse. However, Ace was able to catch him. He quickly took Bobby's pulse.

"He's alive!" Ace announced.

"He must be exhausted." Shiro reasoned.

"Yeah." Shan agreed. "It must've wiped him out to reform like that."

"…what'll you do with him now?" Alex wondered.

"The nuthouse can nae hold him." Lucas grunted. Lila knelt down next to Bobby and brushed some of his brown hair from his face. "What _are_ ye gonna do with him? Ye cannae _seriously_ be considering taking him back. Not after all he did."

"We can worry about that after he gets some rest." Karma answered.

**_Next: Sapphire Rebirth_** _As the Iceman rests, he gets a chance to start making peace with his past. Plus, Freedom Force undergoes a change in the roster._

**(1) – I think this was established in the comics that Bobby can see in the infra-red range. Infra-red light is basically heat.**


	49. Sapphire Rebirth

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "I believe in second chances. I believe in redemption. And most of all, I believe in my friends." – Superman to Hawkgirl, from the Justice League Unlimited episode "Wake the Dead"**

Chapter 49: Sapphire Rebirth

**Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles**

Three days had passed since Bobby Drake laid the final blow against the psychotic mutant called Virus. The team of teenage mutants had been helping to clean up the area after Virus's attack, but they had been allowed to go home today, because SHIELD could now take care of the rest of the work. During that time, the X-Men were cloistered in their mansion, and they didn't speak much with the SHIELD-handled team.

Shan Coy, the Vietnamese mind-controller called Karma, sat on the porch, staring into the sky. She was doing some tanning, as well as some thinking.

_Man, what a crazy few months this has been._ The young woman thought. _Oh well, at least things can get back to normal. At least…as normal as it gets on **this** team._ She noticed Shiro Yoshida, the Japanese solar plasma generator called Sunfire, walk up to her. She immediately sat up. "Hey, Shiro. Is something up?"

"I just wish to speak to you, that's all." Shiro responded. "May I sit down?"

"Go ahead." Shan nodded. Shiro picked up a nearby lawn chair, and took a seat next to the Vietnamese girl.

"I have just been thinking about Gina." Shiro explained, referring to the young Italian-American plant-manipulator. Shan nodded.

"Oh yeah." Shan nodded. "I noticed you two had grown close. You've taken her under her wing, of sorts."

"Indeed." Shiro confirmed. "She has become sort of a little sister to me. As you know, I attempted to show her that the path she was taking would only lead to her own destruction." Shan understood.

"And it seems like you succeeded." Shan smiled.

"Yes." Shiro nodded. "The actions of Bobby Drake, what Thunderbolt is starting to refer to as 'Sapphire Twilight'…" Shiro shook his head.

"Huh?" Shan blinked.

"He coined it as a pun. He said the events were similar to events in a comic book storyline he read." Shiro explained. **(1)**

"You know Kyle." Shan chuckled. "Ever the sci-fi geek. What a dichotomy."

"Anyway, I was speaking about Gina." Shiro continued. "Iceman's actions have made Gina see that the path she was one was wrong." He looked up at Shan. "She still needs something, though."

"What's that?"

"Guidance." Shiro answered. "She needs a new path. She needs enlightenment." He sighed. "She understands that revenge is wrong, but she is still angry. And she still feels she does not have strength." He looked at Shan. "She needs to learn to channel the negative energy of her anger and change it into positive energy. She needs to find the strength to truly overcome the demons of her past."

"…What're you suggesting?" Shan wondered.

"…Well…" Shiro sighed. "As you know, I still have some family in my native Japan…I wish for Botanica and myself to be taken off the active list, and put on reserve."

"You two would be the only reserve members we had." Shan chuckled.

"Indeed." Shiro nodded with his own rare chuckle. "I basically would like to take Botanica to Japan with me."

"Why?" Shan raised an eyebrow.

"I still have family there." Shiro explained. "I wish to take Gina to Japan to help her find peace. To help her heal from all the trauma she has been through. There, I can also help her find peace, and a new path."

"What's in Japan?" Shan wondered.

"My family's dojo." Shiro answered. "I think she can find peace there." Shan nodded.

"You'll have to clear it with Fontaine." Shan nodded. "But as far as I'm concerned, you got my blessing. She could use somewhere quiet…only one thing." Shan scratched her head. "How do you plan to help her find peace in Japan?"

"I wish to train her in the martial arts, in particular, the way of the samurai." Shiro answered. "Gina could use a way to heal her spirit. And I believe that the training could give her that." Shan thought about it.

"If you believe it's best, Shiro. Is Gina good with it?"

"I have told her. She is nervous, but also excited." Shiro smiled slightly. "She would love to learn how the Japanese cook." He then remembered something. "You know, Bobby is recovering in the Helicarrier."

"I know." Shan nodded. "I'll come see him when he wakes up. For right now, though, I heard he had some visitors."

**A hospital bed on the SHIELD Helicarrier**

"Uhn…" Bobby Drake moaned, turning his head. "Oh…" He slowly opened his eyes. "Wha-? Where?" The ice-maker mumbled. He looked down at himself and noticed he was in a bed. "Huh?" He slowly sat up. He noticed he was in a hospital gown, and he had an IV in his arm. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Helicarrier." A voice answered. Bobby turned and noticed a nurse. "You were out cold. You slept for three whole days."

"Three _days?_" Bobby's eyes widened. The nurse nodded.

"Mm-hmm. Somebody is here to see you." The nurse told the ice-maker.

"Who is it?" Bobby wondered. He got his answer in the form of a head peeking in.

"Uhm…Hello?" Elizabeth Guthrie asked nervously, peeking in the room.

"He is awake." The nurse told Elizabeth as she left. "I'll leave you both alone."

"Oh, great." Bobby groaned as he saw Elizabeth walk in. She had on a badge on her jacket, indicating she was a visitor.

"Hi, Bobby." Lizzie greeted.

"If you're here because Lucas sent you, then tell him that he can take his opinion of me and stick it, because I've stopped caring what he thought of me." Bobby grumbled.

"Lucas didn't send me, Bobby. Ah came here of mah own volition." Lizzie explained. She then smirked. "But Ah'll give him your message." Bobby groaned.

"Thanks. Make me feel like an idiot all over again." Bobby groaned.

"Sorry." Lizzie winced. "Ah just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I was asleep for three days." Bobby answered. "…I should be dead."

"What?" Lizzie blinked.

"…I should be dead." Bobby repeated. "…I didn't want to survive that whole thing with Virus. I didn't care about living. I don't really have anything to live for anymore."

"Why do you say that?" Lizzie crossed her arms.

"…You love Lucas." Bobby sighed. "Nobody cares about me. I nearly killed the X-Men…"

"How did you know the X-Men are alive?" Lizzie raised a blonde pierced eyebrow.

"Lila told me back when I was in Stokes." Bobby explained. "Anyway, I nearly killed you, and I tried to kill Freedom Force." Bobby looked up. "I can't live in a sewer, and there's no way I'm joining Magneto, and let's just say Nightshift wouldn't want me around, so…" Bobby sighed. "As soon as I get a clean bill of health, I'm on my own. Again. There's no point in living anymore for me. It's not like I got anything good going for me anymore."

"You know what Ah think?" Lizzie smirked. "Ah think there was a reason why you survived. Deep down…you wanted to live." Bobby looked down.

"Why are you here, Liz?" Bobby sighed. "You have no reason to be here."

"A couple friends brought me up. And…Ah just felt bad for you." Lizzie shrugged. "Besides, Ah wanted to make mah peace with you." She took a seat and sat down next to the bed-ridden ice-maker. She let out a sigh. "Ah was inconsiderate. You see, Ah was so intent on finding mah own identity, to distance mahself from the rest of mah family, that Ah…Ah…Ah didn't think." She admitted. "Ah didn't think about the effect mah actions and mah attitude had on other people." She looked at Bobby. "Ah also didn't bother to think that maybe…how do Ah say this…that…that Ah had an impression on some people."

"You did, alright." Bobby admitted shamefully.

"If had known, Bobby…" Lizzie shook her head. "If Ah had known…If Ah had known you liked me like that, Ah…Ah would've respected your feelings and tried to let you down easy. After all, Ah learned something from all this. No matter how hard Ah tried to escape it, Ah am a Guthrie."

"Yeah. To me, you were the pretty one." Bobby sighed. His ice blue eyes started to mist. "Lizzie, I am really sorry for everything." He looked up at her. "I didn't intend to hurt you or kill your baby all those months ago. That will always be on my conscience. Not to mention all the other stuff. I know it won't fix everything, but it's really all I have right now. All I can do is apologize. I had just lashed out. I just wanted you to fall flat on your butt. I never intended for you to fall off the cliff. I really didn't." A tear came down Bobby's cheek. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. I know you forgave me, but I don't deserve it. I don't deserve anything."

"Ah think you do." Lizzie put a hand on Bobby's shoulder. "You know what you did, you regret it, and you wanted to make up for it. To me at least, you deserve a new chance. Besides, look at it this way. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be between us. We're too different." Bobby nodded.

"I guess you have a point." Bobby sighed. "But at least you're happy with Lucas."

"Ah am." Lizzie smiled. "He's not really a bad guy. He's just got a lot of issues."

"Yeah." Bobby sighed. "But will I ever be? To me, you were my one shot, and I never even took it. I'll never find someone to be happy with."

"Ah highly doubt that." Lizzie chuckled. "You got a good heart, which you hid for a long time under an icy shell. You just have to let people see it." She thought about one of the people she was with. "And Ah'm sure there's someone out there for you. Who knows? They might be closer than you think." Lizzie got up. "Ah have to get going. Lucas doesn't know Ah'm here…Ah, but then again, if he finds out, that's his problem." She was about to leave.

"Wait…" Bobby stopped her. "About the stuff I said back in the mall…"

"Ah know." Lizzie smiled. "You didn't mean it. Water under the bridge." She went back out of the room. Lila stood right outside the door.

"Is he awake?" Lila asked.

"Yeah, he is." Lizzie nodded. "He's feeling a bit down. He thinks he has nowhere to go." She sighed sadly. "Hey uh, Lila, is it?" Lila nodded. "Could you please do something for me?"

"Yeah." Lila blinked.

"…Take good care of Bobby." Lizzie told the interstellar teleporter. "He needs his friends. He needs to know that he's not alone." Lila smiled.

"He never was." Lila reassured. "He's seen that."

"Yeah, babe." Ace added, patting Lizzie's shoulder.

"Can we go in and see the big lug now?" Kyle grumbled, looking at his watch. "The Thunderbolt has plans today!"

"Awww…" Shan chuckled, mussing up Kyle's hair. "Don't worry, Thunderbolt. You'll get to say goodbye to Gina before she leaves tonight."

"Hey!" Kyle blushed. "That's not what the Thunderbolt meant!"

"Thanks. Ah gotta get mah butt home before Lucas starts to worry." Lizzie smiled.

"Your escort is waiting for you over there." Shan pointed out. "And don't forget your blindfold!"

"Don't worry! Ah won't!" Lizzie waved as she left. The four members of Freedom Force walked into the room. Bobby couldn't believe it.

"Hey, pal!" Ace grinned, giving Bobby a hug. "Good to have you back!"

"I…I…" Bobby mumbled in shock.

"I'm so glad you're alive!" Lila grabbed Bobby in a hug. Her eyes misted.

"I thought you guys would hate me." Bobby mumbled. "After the stuff I did."

"You weren't in the right state of mind, Bobby." Shan reminded.

"Besides, the Thunderbolt can't hate a guy for taking down Virus by his lonesome." Kyle shrugged with a smile.

"W-w-wh…" Bobby looked around.

"The others are gonna come by and visit later." Ace told the ice-maker. "They've been busy helping clean up in Bayville. It's been a crazy three days…not to mention that they only allow so many visitors at a time."

"Yeah. Sorry about all that." Bobby sighed sadly.

"Hey, we're just glad you're okay." Lila smiled as she sat down next to Bobby and stroked his head.

"Oh, I'm not okay. Well, I won't be for a while." Bobby shook his head. He looked up at Shan. "I guess I've been kicked off Freedom Force, right? Wouldn't surprise me if you did." Shan shook her head.

"No, I didn't." Shan shook her head. "I knew that was the last thing you needed. However…" She sighed. "Your participation in missions will be extremely limited. You will also have to wear a special collar that reduces your powers to a manageable level. And finally, you will be required to report in for a weekly counseling session, until you show that you are judged mentally stable enough to contribute fully to the team." She looked at Bobby sadly. "I'm really sorry, Bobby. It was the most lenient punishment I could get."

"It's alright, Shan. I'm not mad about it." Bobby nodded. "I don't deserve it anyway. I'm surprised you all still wanted me on the team."

"Bobby, don't say that." Lila shook her head. "We care about you."

"Yeah, man." Ace chuckled, patting Bobby's shoulder. "I told you, brother. Ace Starr never abandons his friends."

"Thanks, guys…" Bobby let out a slight smile. He looked up and sighed. "I just wish that I could go back, you know. I know the X-Men are alright, but I don't think they'll ever take me back."

"No wonder they say you can't go home again, jabroni." Kyle rolled his eyes.

"So the X-Men may not forgive you. So what?" Ace shrugged. "It doesn't matter, as long as you forgive yourself. Besides, I think they'll come around with time."

"I lost so much." Bobby sighed.

"Yeah, but look at what you've gained." Shan countered. "You've got some great new friends, and you will learn a lot from this, so you'll gain a lot of wisdom."

"But I don't really have anything from my old life anymore. The girl I loved liked someone else, I burned my bridges with my old friends, and…" Bobby started, nodding.

"Your bridges with us survived it." Ace finished. "You may have essentially lost your old life, but look at it like this: This isn't the end. Think of this as a new beginning."

"Mm-hmm." Lila agreed with a smile. "You got a chance to turn things around now. To finally find the happiness that I know you've been looking for."

"And we'll be with you every step of the way." Shan reassured. "I promise you that. You're a good man, Bobby Drake." The Vietnamese mutant smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'm not gonna throw a good man off the team for making a mistake. Especially if he's willing to make up for that mistake and pay the consequences." Bobby couldn't believe it. After all he had done during his downward spiral into madness, as well as in his time of insanity…when he was at his lowest point…they still cared about him and stood up for him. His ice blue eyes misted up.

"You mean it? You…really mean it?" Bobby smiled.

"I do." Shan nodded. "You rest up quick."

"Aw, let him take his time, Shanny." Ace chuckled.

"Yeah, it's not like he will be allowed to do anything with us for a while." Kyle added.

"Actually, Bobby can participate in missions if and only if we need him." Lila corrected.

"I don't mind." Bobby smiled. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate this."

"You're welcome, man." Ace nodded.

"None of you had to be here for me." Bobby told them. "I would've understood if you all gave up on me."

"Never." Lila stroked his head. "You're too good a person to give up on."

_**Next: Sapphire Epilogue**_

**(1) – Yup! Green Lantern was one of the inspirations behind "Black Ice". Particularly, the storyline "Emerald Twilight", a controversial storyline from 1994. In the storyline, Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern of the Silver Age of Comic Books, went insane with grief over the loss of his hometown of Coast City.**


	50. Sapphire Epilogue

**Black Ice**

**Disclaimer: "I'll never forget it." – Hal Jordan on remembering the Green Lantern Oath, _Green Lantern: Rebirth _#6**

Chapter 50: Sapphire Epilogue

**Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles**

Bobby Drake leaned on the railing of the balcony of Freedom Force HQ, staring out at the sea. It had been a week since he came out of the recovery area of the Helicarrier, and the ice-maker took the time to do something he had found himself doing a lot of: thinking. Only this time, his thoughts were positive. His face had a small smile.

_It's good to be back._ Bobby mentally smiled. _The sun, the sand, the sea…Ah, a nice change from the Helicarrier._ _Smelled like antiseptic, and it nearly made me go crazy again._ He fingered the clear band around his neck. _As for the collar…well, at least it's invisible on first glance. _He then remembered how his powers were reduced by the collar. _I still got my ice-making and my ability to sheath myself in ice. I still can create jets of water, but I can't change into my water form as long as I have this collar._ He closed his eyes. _But then again, I do deserve this. I just stay out of trouble, and someday…I can get it off me…But for now, I'll just worry about today._ He heard a door close, and a voice let out a slightly cat-like "OWWWWWWWWWW yeah! Whoo!" Bobby chuckled. "Ace's home." He walked back inside the house. He noticed Ace walking inside the house, happily humming some old rock tune, carrying several bags. The feral grinned.

"Hey, Bobby! How you doin', man!" Ace greeted. He held up the bags. "I got eats for the game! After all, the other guys are out risking their butts, and as long as we're here, we might as well enjoy the game they got going this afternoon." Bobby chuckled.

"Yeah, we might as well." Bobby shrugged. "Better record it so the others can see it."

"Yeah, the cable box got that digital recording thingy." Ace nodded, sitting down. He then looked over at the ice-maker. "You know man, you could've come with me. You're not under house arrest or anything. You can go places."

"Yeah, I know." Bobby shrugged. "I just wasn't really into going out today, that's all."

"Yeah. I understand." Ace nodded. "Look man, I know it sucks that you really can't go out on missions in the way the rest of us can."

"Meh, I can deal." Bobby shrugged. "Thanks for staying behind with me to keep me company."

"I wanted to." Ace smiled. "It was just some boring investigative stuff in Europe. Whoopee. I would've died of boredom." Ace drawled. "That's not for me. I like to have adventures, I like excitement, and I like meeting chicks."

"Yeah, we all know about you and your reputation with the ladies." Bobby snickered, making Ace laugh.

"Hey, you're getting a sense of humor already!" Ace laughed happily. "Oh yeah, I think you'll be just fine!" Bobby smiled.

"Yeah, thanks Ace." Bobby chuckled. "What you got in those bags?"

"About time you asked, buddy!" Ace grinned. He started to rummage through the bags. "Let's see what we got in here for eats…" He started pulling items out. "We got nachos…we got ranch chips…we got ranch dip…we got pretzels…we got popcorn…we got cheese chips…we got French onion dip…we got salsa dip…"

"Got a lot of dip." Bobby blinked.

"You can never have too much dip." Ace told the ice-maker sagely. "Now what else did I get for the game…oh yes…I got root beer…I got Coke…I got some of that lemon-lime stuff you like on occasion…I got…"

"Don't you think you have enough to eat?" Bobby blinked. Ace scrunched his face as he thought about it.

"…Meh." He finally answered.

"You know, I never got a chance to ask you a question."

"Shoot." Ace continued rummaging.

"…What kind of name is 'Ace'?" Bobby raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but that is a weird name."

"A lot of people think Ace is a nickname." Ace shrugged. "People think that my 'real name' is something like Andrew or something." **(1)**

"How'd you end up with the name Ace?" Bobby wondered.

"…I was born in the back of a KISS tour bus." Ace explained. "Ace Frehley himself, the Space Ace, the Celestial, helped with the delivery. In an act of gratitude, my parents gave me the name of Ace."

"Didn't people ever make fun of you because of it?" Bobby blinked.

"Buddy, I live here in LA. I was an LA boy from the day I was born. My name is _normal_ compared to some of the people in this town." Ace started laughing. "Man, I hear about what these celebs name their kids, and I can't help but feel sorry for them and wince at the thought of the butt-kickings that will befall and the therapy they will need." **(2)** Ace shook his head. "I tell you what, I hate Britney Spears. But I will give her credit for one thing, she named her kid Sean. All he'll have to deal with is being her kid." Bobby chuckled.

"You sure are a crazy one, Ace." Bobby chuckled.

"Blame my crazy life, brother." Ace grinned. "Growing up the son of a former rock roadie who managed to make it big in life will do that to you."

"How? Did he become a famous musician?" Bobby wondered.

"Nope." Ace chuckled. "He discovered he had a talent for playing the stock market."

"I'm sorry I asked." Bobby opened up the bag of pretzels. He turned on the TV, and the screen showed a music video. "Hey, Ace. What is this?"

"You never saw a music video before?" Ace blinked.

"No, it's just I never saw that video before." Bobby explained, shaking his head. Ace looked at the video.

"Oh, this is one of my favorite channels." Ace grinned. "They play classic rock videos."

"I see." Bobby nodded, changing the channel. "What channel is the game on?"

"Six." Ace remembered. Bobby changed the channel to the game. "Sweet, it's starting. We came in at just the right time." The feral jumped on the couch and grabbed a bag of chips.

"…Thanks, Ace." Bobby told the feral.

"For what?" Ace blinked.

"…For staying here and spending some time with me. It hasn't been easy for me since I came back." Bobby remembered.

"Ah, don't worry about it." Ace patted Bobby's shoulder. "I know that you've been having problems with some of the other guys. It's just going to take some time. I don't mind staying behind today. Shan told me the project Freedom Force was going to be doing today would bore me anyway." The fun-loving feral shrugged. "Besides, I like spending time with my friends." Bobby smiled. Sure, he was going to have some difficulties during his time with Freedom Force, but at least he'll have some good and loyal friends to help him through the rough patches.

**Downtown Bayville**

The former site of the Bayville Mall was now a literal junkpile. Quite a few SHIELD Agents were there, cleaning up the place.

"God…" Contessa Fontaine said to Nick Fury as the two supervised the cleanup. "I can't believe all this destruction. And I have seen a lot."

"What I can't believe was that kid Drake pulled it off." Fury told the Italian-born agent. "He managed to take out that lunatic Virus."

"When I think about Virus, I cannot help but wonder…" Fontaine thought out loud. "What happened to him to make him into such a monster?"

"Could've been anything." Fury shrugged. "Rough early life, mental illness, side effect of his mutant power…" He looked at the dark-haired woman. "…Anything."

"And to think, Freedom Force could've had one of them as one of their own." Fontaine shook her head.

"Drake ain't a monster, Fontaine. Not like Virus." Fury looked at the wreckage. "He was just a kid that had a lot of demons, not enough strength to fight 'em, and was too afraid of being hurt to ask for help."

"It's going to be hard for the kid, Fury." Fontaine told the war veteran. "He's going to have a long road ahead for him."

"Yeah…" Fury agreed. "But something tells me…he'll be able to handle it." Meanwhile, two SHIELD Agents were removing mechanical parts from a pile of rubble and putting them into boxes for examination. Unbeknownst to them…a nearby monitor flashed to life, and the image of two neon green eyes appeared on the screen. The neon green eyes narrowed at the agents.

**Hey there, folks! L1701E here! I hope you enjoyed this story! And don't you worry, folks! There is a sequel, which will start about a year after the events of todd fan's "Gifts and Curses". I hope you enjoyed reading this story, because I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again!**

**(1) When I first created the character of Ace "Wildstar" Starr, I intended his first name of Ace to be a nickname, and his actual first name to be Andrew. However, as I started working on the character's backstory, I thought it'd be more appropriate for him to have Ace be his actual first name.**

**(2) This is what I think about celebrity kids. It's like those people don't care about what'll happen to their kids in the future because of their names. Nicholas Cage named his kid _Kal-El_ for example! After Superman! What is so bad about naming the kid 'Bob' or 'Janet'?**


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